The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has settled an administrative penalty against a Walpole, N.H. firm for violations of the federal Clean Air Act. The settlement calls for Central Plating of New Hampshire, Inc. to pay a $13,750 fine over 18 months and to spend $94,080 over five years on environmental improvements at its facility.
Central Plating’s Walpole shop specializes in chrome and nickel plating. EPA’s penalty stems from a May 1997 inspection of the plant.
What EPA found at Central Plating’s Walpole shop were violations of the testing, monitoring, work practice and record keeping requirements of the Clean Air Act’s standards for chromium emissions. At the time of the inspection, the company was operating its chromium electroplating tank without any emissions controls, which likely led to chromium emissions into the air around the plant. Evidence shows that certain types of chromium emissions cause lung cancer, while other types can accumulate in the lungs and cause breathing problems.
In addition, the investigation also showed the company was violating the reporting requirements of the Clean Air Act’s emissions standards for cleaning parts with a halogenated solvent. Halogenated solvents used at Central Plating contain trichloroethylene, or TCE, a hazardous air pollutant that is carcinogenic and can cause a variety of adverse health effects.
The complaint against Central Plating and Springfield Electroplating is part of a larger effort by EPA that includes assisting companies that clean or finish metal and educating them on relevant environmental regulations. EPA efforts to control pollution by the metal industry stems in part from regulations enacted in 1995 to regulate emissions of chromium, trichloroethylene and other toxic chemicals.
More information on federal regulations and how to prevent pollution is available by calling EPA’s Office of Assistance and Pollution Prevention.
