Sunday, July 31, 2022
EPA Updates Cleanup Plan for Cosden Chemical Coatings Corporation Superfund Site in Beverly, N.J. Following Successful Pilot Study
EPA Press Office:
EPA Updates Cleanup Plan for Cosden Chemical Coatings Corporation Superfund Site in Beverly, N.J. Following Successful Pilot Study
EPA Updates Cleanup Plan for Cosden Chemical Coatings Corporation Superfund Site in Beverly, N.J. Following Successful Pilot Study
Contact: John Senn, (212) 637-3662, senn.john@epa.gov
NEW YORK (July 29, 2022) – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed an update to its original cleanup plan for the Cosden Chemical Coatings Corporation Superfund site in Beverly, N.J., following a successful pilot study completed in 2021. The newly proposed cleanup technology will supplement earlier groundwater treatment by injecting chemical oxidants directly into the aquifer to help break down hazardous contaminants into less toxic byproducts.
"A full cleanup of the contamination at the Cosden Chemical Coatings Corporation Superfund site is critical to ensuring environmental and public health in Beverly, New Jersey," said EPA Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia. "Carried out by EPA, working with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the successful pilot study demonstrated a unique ability to address the remaining groundwater contaminants at this site, and EPA is committed to employing all available technologies to get the job done."
The cleanup technique, called in-situ chemical oxidation, uses various oxidizing chemicals to spur the reduction of harmful compounds found in contaminated groundwater. In 2021, through a network of 30 monitoring wells, EPA and the Army Corps successfully demonstrated that in-situ chemical oxidation could transform the remaining harmful contaminants at the Cosden site groundwater into less toxic byproducts. This method supplements EPA's earlier groundwater pumping and treatment work which has treated over 280 million gallons of water since 2009. In addition, the cleanup includes long-term monitoring to ensure the cleanup is working as intended and other controls to prevent exposure to the contaminants. The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection concurs with EPA’s preferred alternative as presented in the proposed plan.
The Cosden Chemical Coatings Corporation was a paint formulation and manufacturing company that began operating in 1945 and produced coatings for industrial applications. The company recycled manufacturing solvents until 1974. However, inadequate controls of waste generated by facility operations contaminated soil and groundwater with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), metals, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection inspected the site in 1980, discovering surface spills and several hundred unsecured drums. As a result, EPA completed immediate removal actions to protect public health and selected a cleanup plan in 1992 to address the contaminated building, soil, and groundwater. Soil remediation is now complete, as is demolition of the contaminated building. EPA continued to oversee the groundwater treatment plant until putting operations on hold in 2018 to implement the in-situ chemical oxidation pilot testing.
The proposed plan's 30-day public comment period will occur from July 29, 2022, to August 29, 2022. In addition, EPA will host a virtual public meeting on August 16, 2022, at 6 p.m.
To register for the public meeting, visit https://USEPACosdenChemical.eventbrite.com. To learn more about the public meeting, contact Natalie Loney at Loney.Natalie@epa.gov or (212) 637-3639.
Written comments on EPA's proposed plan may be mailed or emailed to Tamara Rossi, Remedial Project Manager, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 290 Broadway – 19th Floor, New York, NY 10007, Email: Rossi.Tamara@epa.gov
Visit the Cosden Chemical Coating Corp. Superfund site profile page for additional background and to view the proposed plan.
Follow EPA Region 2 on Twitter and Facebook page. For more information about EPA Region 2, visit our website.
22-054 ###
Flo~Pro Performance Exhaust and Thunder Diesel & Performance Company to Halt Sales of Illegal Vehicle Emission Control Defeat Devices and Pay a $1.6 Million Penalty
EPA Press Office:
Flo~Pro Performance Exhaust and Thunder Diesel & Performance Company to Halt Sales of Illegal Vehicle Emission Control Defeat Devices and Pay a $1.6 Million Penalty
Contact Information
EPA Press Office (press@epa.gov)
WASHINGTON (July 29, 2022) – Red Deer Exhaust Inc. (doing business as Flo~Pro Performance Exhaust) and Thunder Diesel & Performance Company have agreed to stop selling devices that bypass or disable vehicle emissions control systems, and pay a $1.6 million penalty, to resolve allegations that they violated the Clean Air Act (CAA).
The complaint, filed simultaneously with the consent decree, alleges that the parts described above are “defeat devices” prohibited by the CAA. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that prior to its 2018 investigation, Flo~Pro manufactured or sold more than 100,000 aftermarket defeat devices in the United States per year. In early 2019, Flo~Pro suspended sales of the defeat devices in the United States in an effort to resolve this matter.
“The exhaust from diesel pickup trucks equipped to operate without essential emissions controls causes severe harm to our nation’s air quality,” said Acting Assistant Administrator Larry Starfield for EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “This action will stop the manufacture and sale of these illegal products, preventing additional excess pollution caused by aftermarket defeat devices and keeping the air we breathe clean.”
“Defeat devices violate Clean Air Act emissions requirements meant to protect public health and the environment, as well as vulnerable communities that are disproportionately impacted by air pollution,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “This settlement ensures that Flo~Pro will stop the sale of all defeat devices in the U.S. and is the latest reminder that the Department of Justice will hold the aftermarket automotive parts industry accountable for violations of federal anti-pollution laws.”
Under the agreement, Flo~Pro, an automotive parts manufacturer based in Alberta, Canada, has agreed to stop manufacturing and selling parts for diesel pickup trucks in the United States, that bypass, defeat, or render inoperative EPA-approved emission controls and harm air quality. Thunder Diesel, a distributor based in Mountain Home, Arkansas, has shut down its operations and is no longer selling auto parts. The companies will pay a $1.6 million penalty, which is a reduced amount due to verified financial information indicating the companies’ limited ability to pay. The companies will notify customers who purchased subject parts that the products violate the CAA, will no longer provide technical support or honor warranty claims for the products, and will provide CAA compliance training for employees.
This settlement will improve public health and prevent substantial amounts of air pollution in the future, as the installation of defeat devices prevents emission controls from working properly. Tampering with diesel-powered vehicles by installing defeat devices causes large amounts of nitrogen oxide and particulate matter emissions, both of which contribute to serious public health problems. These include premature death, aggravation of respiratory and cardiovascular disease, aggravation of existing asthma, acute respiratory symptoms, chronic bronchitis, and decreased lung function. Numerous studies also link diesel exhaust to increased incidence of lung cancer. Respiratory issues disproportionately affect families, especially children, living in underserved communities overburdened by pollution. EPA estimates that the subject parts from these companies in 2016-2019 may have resulted in more than 775 million pounds of excess nitrogen oxides emissions and 6.7 million pounds of excess particulate matter over the life of the affected vehicles. Stopping the sale and use of defeat devices will help reduce harmful air pollution that exacerbates the health effects of pollutant exposures.
Stopping the manufacture, sale, and installation of defeat devices on vehicles and engines used on public roads as well as on nonroad vehicles and engines is a priority for EPA. To learn more, visit: https://www.epa.gov/enforcement/national-compliance-initiative-stopping-aftermarket-defeat-devices-vehicles-and-engines.
The consent decree for this settlement was lodged in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Arkansas and will be open for public comments for a period of 30 days.
If you suspect someone is manufacturing, selling, or installing illegal defeat devices, or is tampering with emission controls, tell the EPA by writing to tampering@epa.gov.
Monday, July 18, 2022
Sunday, July 17, 2022
Saturday, July 16, 2022
Friday, July 15, 2022
EPA News: EPA Provides $5.5 Million in Infrastructure Funds to Clean up Bucks and Montgomery County Superfund Sites
EPA Press Office:
EPA News: EPA Provides $5.5 Million in Infrastructure Funds to Clean up Bucks and Montgomery County Superfund Sites
PHILADELPHIA (July 15, 2022) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency broke ground today at the North Penn Area 6 Superfund site in Lansdale, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, where EPA is accelerating construction to clean up the site. North Penn Area 6 is one of 49 Superfund Sites nationwide to receive a total of $5.4 billion in new Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) funding for accelerating cleanup of legacy pollution. The Chem Fab Superfund Site in Doylestown, Bucks County, is also among the 49 sites receiving this first wave of the Biden/Harris Administration’s BIL funding, allowing EPA to initiate work where Superfund construction projects were backlogged. “Revitalizing communities and helping create economic vitality is a primary goal of EPA’s Superfund cleanups,” said EPA Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator Adam Ortiz. “Because of this infrastructure funding, people living and working in Lansdale and Doylestown can now look forward to these sites finally getting completely cleaned up and ultimately being transformed and reused for the benefit of those communities.” The North Penn site received $4.9 million in BIL funding to remove and replace industrially contaminated soil. EPA plans to engage the community early and often to make sure they remain aware of planned construction activities and future work. The Chem Fab Site received $6.3 million, $500,000 of which is from BIL, for construction of a state-of-the-art groundwater extraction and treatment system to treat contaminated groundwater and return it to nearby Cooks Run. For more information on the North Penn Area 6 and Chem Fab Superfund Sites visit: https://cumulis.epa.gov/supercpad/cursites/csitinfo.cfm?id=0301733 https://cumulis.epa.gov/supercpad/cursites/csitinfo.cfm?id=0300563 |
EPA Proposes Cleanup Plan to Address Contaminated Groundwater in the Olean Well Field Superfund Site in Cattaraugus County, New York
EPA Press Office:
EPA Proposes Cleanup Plan to Address Contaminated Groundwater in the Olean Well Field Superfund Site in Cattaraugus County, New York
Contact: Mike Basile, (716)-551-4410, Basile.Mike@epa.gov
NEW YORK (July 15, 2022) - Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed a plan to inject material into constructed wells to break down the hazardous contamination in groundwater across several areas south of the former AVX Corporation (AVX) property at the Olean Well Field Superfund site in Olean, New York.
"This proposed cleanup plan reflects EPA’s recommendations on how to best address groundwater contamination," said EPA Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia. "It safely brings us one step closer to a comprehensive cleanup of the AVX portion of the site."
The cleanup technique, called in-situ treatment, uses various minerals and bacteria to spur the decontamination of harmful compounds found in contaminated groundwater. This method supplements the natural process of breaking down the contamination over time. The cleanup includes long-term monitoring to ensure the cleanup is working as intended and other controls to prevent exposure to the contaminants.
The Olean Well Field Superfund site contains various wells, homes, and manufacturing facilities. Earlier industrial operations at the AVX property, as well as three other facilities that EPA considers sources of site contamination, resulted in the contamination of soil and groundwater with trichloroethylene, 1,4-dioxane, and other volatile organic compounds. The contaminants migrated from the AVX property in groundwater south of the AVX property. As a result of the contamination at all four facilities, EPA added the site to the Superfund list in 1983. Since that time, several investigations have led to cleanup remedies for the four source facilities and impacted groundwater, most of which are being implemented by potentially responsible parties for the site.
The proposed plan's 30-day public comment period will occur from July 15, 2022, to August 15, 2022. In addition, EPA will host a Public Meeting on July 27, 2022, at 6:00 p.m. at the TECH Building, Mangano Reception Room, near the Cutco Theater, 305 North Barry Street, Cattaraugus County Campus of Jamestown Community College in Olean, New York.
To learn more about the public meeting, contact Mike Basile at Basile.Mike@epa.gov or (716)-551-4410.
Written comments on EPA's proposed plan may be mailed or emailed no later than August 15, 2022, to Maeve Wurtz, Remedial Project Manager, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 290 Broadway – 19th Floor, New York, NY 10007, Email: Wurtz.Maeve@epa.gov.
Visit the Olean Well Field Superfund site profile page for additional background and to view the proposed plan.
Follow EPA Region 2 on Twitter and Facebook page. For more information about EPA Region 2, visit our website.
22-052
EPA Orders Construction Site Operator in Puerto Rico to Comply with Clean Water Regulations at Commercial Development in Aguadilla
EPA Press Office:
EPA Orders Construction Site Operator in Puerto Rico to Comply with Clean Water Regulations at Commercial Development in Aguadilla
EPA Orders Construction Site Operator in Puerto Rico to Comply with Clean Water Regulations at Commercial Development in Aguadilla
Contact Information: John Senn, 212-637-3662, senn.john@epa.gov
Brenda Reyes, 787-977-5869, Reyes.Brenda@epa.gov
NEW YORK (July 14, 2022) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently ordered the Kanaan Corporation to comply with critical Clean Water Act permitting and pollution reduction measures in order to address discharges of stormwater from a 19-acre site in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, where Kanaan is building a commercial center. This order is the latest in a series of enforcement actions taken by EPA to address stormwater violations from construction sites throughout the island. EPA considers it a priority to assure compliance with the Clean Water Act due to increased construction activity across Puerto Rico, especially in coastal areas.
“Polluted stormwater harms waterbodies used for fishing and swimming and that provide critical habitat for marine life in Puerto Rico, so it’s imperative developers manage stormwater from construction sites in accordance with the Clean Water Act,” said EPA Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia. “This order embodies EPA’s continued commitment to holding companies accountable when they violate critical laws that protect clean water and public health.”
An EPA inspection earlier this year found that Kanaan lacked the proper Clean Water Act permits for discharges of stormwater from a site associated with the construction of the proposed Plaza Noroeste Shopping Mall on PR-2 Road in the Corrales Ward of Aguadilla. Kanaan has been discharging polluted stormwater from the site into a sewer system owned and operated by the Puerto Rico Department of Transportation and Public Works, which is connected to a creek that flows to the Culebrinas River and ultimately into the Atlantic Ocean.
EPA has ordered Kanaan to develop a plan to fully implement erosion and sediments controls for the site in Aguadilla and apply for a new permit under the Clean Water Act’s National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System. EPA’s order also requires Kanaan to stabilize certain areas at the site and control the spread of dust.
When it rains, stormwater washes over the loose soil on a construction site, along with various materials and products stored outside. As stormwater flows over the site, it can pick up pollutants like sediment, debris, and chemicals from that loose soil and transport them to nearby storm sewer systems or directly into rivers, lakes, or coastal waters. EPA works with construction site operators to make sure they have the proper stormwater controls in place so that construction can proceed in a way that protects your community’s clean water and the surrounding environment.
Learn more about the importance of controlling construction stormwater discharges at: https://www.epa.gov/npdes/stormwater-discharges-construction-activities#importance.
Follow EPA Region 2 on Twitter at http://twitter.com/eparegion2 and visit our Facebook page, http://facebook.com/eparegion2
22-051 ###
Settlement with PCS Nitrogen Fertilizer to Require Treatment of More Than a Billion Pounds of Hazardous Waste and Closure of Huge Phosphogypsum Waste Stacks and Impoundments
EPA News Release:
Settlement with PCS Nitrogen Fertilizer to Require Treatment of More Than a Billion Pounds of Hazardous Waste and Closure of Huge Phosphogypsum Waste Stacks and Impoundments
Fertilizer Manufacturer to Spend Over $84 Million to Reduce Environmental Impact
DALLAS, TEXAS (July 14, 2022) – The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Justice Department, and the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ) today announced a settlement with PCS Nitrogen Fertilizer, L.P. (PCS Nitrogen), to remedy hazardous waste issues at its former fertilizer manufacturing facility in Geismar, Louisiana.
This settlement resolves alleged violations of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) at the facility, including that PCS Nitrogen failed to properly identify and manage certain waste streams as hazardous wastes. These corrosive (acidic) hazardous wastes were illegally mixed with process wastewater and phosphogypsum from phosphoric acid production. The resulting mixture of wastes was disposed of in surface impoundments. The settlement requires PCS Nitrogen to treat over 1 billion pounds of acidic hazardous process wastewater over the next several years. The acidic hazardous process wastewaters will be contained in the phosphogypsum stack system and then treated in the newly constructed water treatment plant. The settlement also regulates the long-term closure of PCS Nitrogen’s phosphogypsum stacks and surface impoundments for over 50 years and requires PCS Nitrogen to ensure that financial resources will be available for environmentally sound closure of the facility. PCS Nitrogen will provide over $84 million of financial assurance to secure the full cost of closure and pay a civil penalty of $1,510,023.
“This settlement requires PCS Nitrogen to treat over 1 billion pounds of hazardous waste and take steps to ensure that the long-term closure of its facility is protective of the environment,” said Acting Assistant Administrator Larry Starfield for EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “This is a very important outcome as the facility is located in an area prone to hurricanes and the financial assurance secured will protect taxpayers from paying future closure and cleanup costs.”
“This settlement requires treatment of all contaminated wastewater accumulated at the PCS Nitrogen facility, thus protecting sensitive wetlands and the Mississippi River,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “PCS Nitrogen also will secure the full cost of closure with $84 million in financial assurance to protect taxpayers, demonstrating our continued commitment to hold this industry accountable both for past violations and future contingencies.”
“This settlement represents a lot of hard work by LDEQ enforcement and legal staffs who joined their EPA counterparts in drafting this settlement,” said LDEQ Secretary Dr. Chuck Carr Brown. “It will provide a protective solution for decades to come.”
PCS Nitrogen manufactured phosphate products in Louisiana for agriculture and industry from the 1960s to 2018, including phosphoric acid and phosphate fertilizer, through processes that generated large quantities of acidic wastewater and a solid material called phosphogypsum. The phosphogypsum was deposited and remains in large piles (some over 100 acres large and 200 feet high) referred to as phosphogypsum stacks. Acidic wastewaters are stored in the phosphogypsum stacks and surface impoundments. The facility is now undergoing closure.
The settlement requires PCS Nitrogen to comply with RCRA requirements to make RCRA hazardous waste determinations and properly manage all hazardous wastes in its phosphogypsum stacks and surface impoundments. This injunctive relief will be governed by the terms of the consent decree and by administrative agreements, permits, and/or orders issued by LDEQ under its authorized state program, and subject to EPA’s authorities under RCRA or any other applicable law. Additionally, PCS Nitrogen has completed certain site assessment and remedial activities pursuant to EPA and Louisiana regulations.
The EPA has completed judicial and administrative settlements with thirteen phosphate fertilizer facilities across the United States, all requiring extensive injunctive relief and financial assurance to bring their operations into compliance with RCRA.
A consent decree formalizing this settlement with PCS Nitrogen was lodged today in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana and is subject to a 45-day public comment period and approval by the federal court. The consent decree can be viewed at the Department of Justice website: www.justice.gov/enrd/Consent_Decrees.html
For more information about today’s settlement, please visit the PCS Geismar settlement sheet.
Connect with the Environmental Protection Agency Region 6 on Facebook, Twitter, or visit our homepage.
Thursday, July 14, 2022
Wednesday, July 13, 2022
Tuesday, July 12, 2022
Sunday, July 10, 2022
Saturday, July 9, 2022
Friday, July 8, 2022
Thursday, July 7, 2022
Wednesday, July 6, 2022
EPA awards $200,000 to San Luis Valley Local Foods Coalition for food waste project
EPA Press Office:
EPA awards $200,000 to San Luis Valley Local Foods Coalition for food waste project
High-efficiency anaerobic digestion system in Mosca, Colorado will demonstrate innovative food and organic waste processing to help tackle climate crisis
Contact Information
Barbara Khan (khan.barbara@epa.gov)
720-595-8698
Mosca, Colo. (July 6, 2022) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has awarded $200,000 to the San Luis Valley Local Foods Coalition for a food waste processing project that will help divert food and other organic waste from landfills. The Valley Roots Food Hub (VRFH), a program of the San Luis Valley Local Foods Coalition, plans to install a high-efficiency anaerobic digestion (AD) system at its Mosca, Colorado campus to process food and organic waste and turn it into fuel.
“Keeping food waste out of landfills and converting it to fuel is a powerful tool for combatting the climate crisis. Projects like these can meet local needs and address global challenges,” said EPA Regional Administrator KC Becker. “This project will be innovative for the San Luis Valley and will provide opportunities for demonstration, education, and expansion into other parts of the region.”
With the funding, the VRFH will launch the Renewable Energy Park at the Mosca campus. The Renewable Energy Park will be a demonstration and educational space for learning and sharing the benefits of AD and other forms of renewable energy. The installation of the new AD system will demonstrate the technological feasibility and cost-effectiveness of using AD to convert food and other organic waste into processing and cooking fuel.
“The EPA’s visionary funding for diverting organics out of landfill streams and providing opportunity for carbon-neutral renewable energy is a great catalyst for rural communities working on these issues,” said Valley Roots Food Hub General Manager Nick Chambers.
The San Luis Valley Local Foods Coalitions is one of 11 awardees this year to receive a total of approximately $2 million to divert food waste from landfills by expanding AD capacity nationwide. EPA is prioritizing environmental justice by ensuring nearly half of the funds are awarded to projects or recipients located in underserved communities. Specifically, EPA considered the effects of this program on people of color, low-income, tribal, and indigenous populations, and other vulnerable populations, such as the elderly and children. The VRFH project will benefit the more vulnerable and overburdened members of the community.
Background
AD is a process in which bacteria break down organic materials in the absence of oxygen. These materials can include food scraps, manure, and sewage sludge. This process produces a mostly methane biogas. Technology can then capture the gas and use it for creating energy and a nutrient-rich material called digestate that can be used as a fertilizer.
By decreasing the amount of wasted food in landfills, AD reduces landfill methane emissions, in turn reducing the impacts of climate change. Methane traps 28 to 36 times more heat in the atmosphere over a 100-year period than carbon dioxide. Included in EPA’s food recovery hierarchy, AD is a waste management strategy preferable to landfilling and incineration because it reclaims valuable resources, contributing to a circular economy. Keeping food waste out of landfills by transforming it into fuel or fertilizer can save money and reduce environmental impacts.
Western Timber Products pays $222,400 EPA penalty for Clean Water Act violations
EPA Press Office:
Western Timber Products pays $222,400 EPA penalty for Clean Water Act violations
Contact: Meshach A. Padilla, 206-553-2762, padilla.meshach@epa.gov
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced today Western Timber Products, Inc of Coeur d' Alene, Idaho has agreed to pay a $222,400 penalty for Clean Water Act violations.
During inspections in May 2019 and January 2021, EPA found the company failed to obtain the required Clean Water Act permits for timber processing facilities it operates in Council and Weiser, Idaho. The Council facility discharged both wastewater and stormwater without a permit and the Weiser facility discharged stormwater without a permit.
Wastewater and stormwater discharge from timber processing facilities typically contains high pH, wood debris, arsenic, metals, oils, and high levels of solids. When these solids settle, they can form sediment deposits that destroy plant life and spawning grounds, and affect overall water quality.
“Preventing excessive pollutants from entering canals, creeks, and rivers ensures healthy ecosystems for humans and aquatic life,” said Ed Kowalski, director of EPA Region 10’s Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Division. “EPA works to protect public health and the environment by limiting pollution in runoff from industrial activities. When companies comply with permits, they’re better equipped to prevent and reduce potential discharge of industrial pollution.”
In separate EPA orders for the Council and Weiser facilities, the company has agreed to obtain the required permits for both facilities and to conduct regular monitoring of stormwater. Additionally, the company will submit stormwater evaluation reports, revise its stormwater pollution prevention plans, provide documented annual trainings for its employees, and submit progress reports.
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EPA Order Puerto Rico Developers to Stop Pollution Discharges from Construction Site
EPA Press Office:
EPA Order Puerto Rico Developers to Stop Pollution Discharges from Construction Site
Contact: Brenda Reyes, (787)-977-5869, Reyes.Brenda@epa.gov
PUERTO RICO (July 6, 2022) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently ordered the Cliff Corp. and Grupo Caribe, LLC to stop discharges of stormwater and runoff coming from the Cliff Villas Hotel and Country Club construction project in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, from flowing into the Atlantic Ocean. The proposed 86-villa project is located in the Borinquen Ward of Aguadilla and comprises about 9.5 acres of land.
This order is the latest in a series of enforcement actions taken to address stormwater violations from construction sites throughout the island. EPA considers it a priority to assure compliance with the Clean Water Act due to increased construction activity across Puerto Rico, especially in coastal areas.
“Uncontrolled stormwater runoff can cause serious problems for the environment and people in Puerto Rico, including impaired opportunities for fishing and swimming, so it’s imperative developers manage stormwater from construction sites in accordance with the Clean Water Act,” said EPA Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia. “This order embodies EPA’s commitment to holding companies accountable when they violate critical laws that protect public health and the environment.”
EPA’s investigation found inadequate erosion and sediment controls and stabilization measures. EPA concluded that the developers began work at the site and discharged pollutants into the Atlantic Ocean without the required Clean Water Act permit authorization. EPA has required the Cliff Corp. and Grupo Caribe LLC to submit an action plan within 30 days of the receipt of the order and take steps to come into compliance and properly control discharges from the site. The EPA order also requires the Cliff Corp. and Grupo Caribe LLC to provide monthly reports to the EPA describing the status and progress of the actions taken to comply with the provisions of the order.
When it rains, stormwater washes over the loose soil on a construction site, along with various materials and products stored outside. As stormwater flows over the site, it can pick up pollutants like sediment, debris, and chemicals from that loose soil and transport them to nearby storm sewer systems or directly into rivers, lakes, or coastal waters. EPA works with construction site operators to make sure they have the proper stormwater controls in place so that construction can proceed in a way that protects your community’s clean water and the surrounding environment.
Visit the website to learn more about the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES).
Follow EPA Region 2 on Twitter and Facebook page. For more information about EPA Region 2, visit our website.
22-050
EPA orders e-commerce platform Wish to stop selling illegal disinfectants
EPA Press Office:
EPA orders e-commerce platform Wish to stop selling illegal disinfectants
SAN FRANCISCO (July 5, 2022) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has ordered ContextLogic Inc., doing business as Wish, to stop selling several unregistered disinfectants through their e-commerce marketplace. The products are unregistered disinfectants being sold in violation of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). Such practices have been particularly problematic during the COVID-19 pandemic, and EPA will continue to take enforcement actions such as this ‘Stop Sale’ order to protect public health.
EPA has issued the ‘Stop Sale’ order to prevent the company, located in San Francisco, from continuing to distribute or offer for sale these unregistered disinfectants. The products have been available for sale on the Wish e-commerce marketplace and specifically make problematic claims of effectiveness against viruses, bacteria, and germs.
“As our nation continues to grapple with COVID-19, today’s stop sale order is critical to protecting Americans from misleading and harmful claims from a large e-commerce platform,” said EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator Martha Guzman. “EPA remains vigilant and will keep removing these illegal disinfectants from circulation.”
By law, public health claims for pesticide products, including disinfectants, can only be made following proper testing and registration with the EPA. The agency will not register a pesticide until it has been determined the product will not pose an unreasonable risk to human health when used according to the label directions. Unregistered products can be harmful to human health, cause adverse effects, and may not be effective against the spread of germs.
One type of product sold by Wish under various names, including “air sterilization cards” and “degerming cards,” claims to be a “spatial disinfection card” that would provide portable virus and germ protection (see image below). None of these products are registered with the EPA. Therefore, their safety and efficacy against viruses and germs have not been evaluated. In addition, the product labeling – including directions for use – is not provided in English as required by law.
Caption: Example of illegal air sterilization card sold on Wish e-commerce marketplace.
Wish also has listed several versions of products containing chlorine dioxide (see images below), being sold with unprovable claims of sanitizing and disinfecting hospitals, schools, hotels, and homes.
Caption: Two examples of the illegal chlorine dioxide products sold on Wish.
This ‘Stop Sale’ order also orders Wish to stop selling spray products with unproven disinfection claims. These products are not registered with the EPA and thus their safety and efficacy against microorganisms have not been evaluated. These spray products also have labeling that lacks information required by law, such as directions for use. They are being sold on Wish with unproven claims of being a germicidal home spray for cleaning furniture and other supplies (product below) or sterilizing and disinfecting cars (product second below).
Caption: Two examples of the illegal spray products sold on Wish.
Visit our website to view the most up-to-date list of EPA-registered disinfectant products.
Visit our website for more information on pesticide registration.
Learn more about EPA’s Pacific Southwest Region. Connect with us on Facebook and on Twitter.
For further information: Soledad Calvino, 415-972-3512, calvino.maria@epa.gov
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