EPA Settles Alleged Violations of Safety Standards at Pretium Packaging Plants in Manchester, Pa and Muscatine, Iowa

EPA Press Release:

EPA Settles Alleged Violations of Safety Standards

at Pretium Packaging Plants in Manchester, Pa and Muscatine, Iowa

PHILADELPHIA (October 31, 2013) - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today announced that Pretium Packaging, LLC will pay a $75,860 penalty to settle alleged violations of federal risk management requirements at two plastic bottle manufacturing facilities - - one in Manchester, Pa. and another now-closed facility in Muscatine, Iowa.

            EPA cited the Missouri-based company for violating the Clean Air Act’s risk management program requirements. These safeguards require regulated facilities to take steps to identify and assess the hazards posed by regulated substances, develop an accident prevention program to reduce the risk of accidental releases and develop an emergency response program.

            The alleged violations at both plants involved fluorine, an extremely hazardous substance. According to EPA, Pretium’s Manchester, Pa. facility did not have adequate safeguards in place for the fluorine process equipment, did not file a risk management plan in a timely manner and had not updated emergency contact information. Pretium also allegedly failed to submit a risk management plan for fluorine at its Muscatine facility which ceased operations in October 2010.

            As part of the settlement, the company did not admit liability for the alleged violations, but has certified that it is now in compliance with applicable regulations. For more information about the Clean Air Act’s Risk Management Program requirements, see http://www.epa.gov/compliance/monitoring/programs/caa/112r.html and http://www.epa.gov/oem/content/rmp/.