Indiana Metalworking Lubricants Company to Pay $310,000 over Clean Air Act Violations

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Indiana Department of Environmental Management announced a settlement on August 5 with Metalworking Lubricants Co. for alleged violations of the Clean Air Act at its used oil processing facility in Indianapolis. Under the terms of the settlement, the company will pay a penalty of $155,000 to the United States and $155,000 to the state of Indiana.

In the complaint, EPA and IDEM alleged that Metalworking Lubricants emitted more than 25 tons of hazardous air pollutants per year, including naphthalene, ethylbenzene, xylene, phenol, and toluene, in violation of its existing permit. The company also allegedly failed to operate its scrubber at specific times when its oil-processing tanks were in operation; failed to respond when the scrubber malfunctioned; failed to keep required records; and underestimated the amount of hazardous air pollutants in incoming oil, which affected its emissions. The company also allegedly failed to apply for a major source operating permit.

In addition to the penalty, Metalworking Lubricants will install a carbon adsorption system to control total organic compound and hazardous air pollutant emissions. The company will connect all oil and wastewater processing tanks to the system and scrubber. The system must recover more than 95% of the total organic compound emissions and emit no more than eight pounds per hour of sulfur dioxide. The company will also have to meet certain testing, monitoring and recordkeeping requirements and comply with a revised federally enforceable state operating permit to keep its emissions less than 25 tons per year.

The Indianapolis facility is located near a community with environmental justice concerns. EPA is committed to addressing the impacts to human health from pollution and other stressors, such as poverty and housing conditions. EPA works toward the goal of environmental justice, which is the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income, with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies.

The settlement terms are included in the proposed consent decree. The consent decree is subject to a 30-day public comment period and final court approval.

Source: EPA