Enforcement Actions under Title VI of the Clean Air Act
Key Resource
EPA regulations under Title VI of the Clean Air Act (CAA) are designed to protect the ozone layer
ozone layerThe region of the stratosphere containing the bulk of atmospheric ozone. The ozone layer lies approximately 15-40 kilometers (10-25 miles) above the Earth's surface, in the stratosphere. Depletion of this layer by ozone depleting substances (ODS) will lead to higher UVB levels, which in turn will cause increased skin cancers and cataracts and potential damage to some marine organisms, plants, and plastics. The science page (http://www.epa.gov/ozone/science/index.html) offers much more detail on the science of ozone depletion. and to provide for a smooth transition away from ozone-depleting substances (ODSODSA compound that contributes to stratospheric ozone depletion. ODS include chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), halons, methyl bromide, carbon tetrachloride, hydrobromofluorocarbons, chlorobromomethane, and methyl chloroform. ODS are generally very stable in the troposphere and only degrade under intense ultraviolet light in the stratosphere. When they break down, they release chlorine or bromine atoms, which then deplete ozone. A detailed list (http://www.epa.gov/ozone/science/ods/index.html) of class I and class II substances with their ODPs, GWPs, and CAS numbers are available.).
EPA is also charged with enforcing these regulations. Enforcement actions range from civil fines to criminal prosecutions. Enforcement is performed within EPA by the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance.
If you suspect or witness unlawful releases of ODS refrigerant or other violations of CAA regulations, report an environmental violation to EPA. A list of fugitives accused of violating environmental laws, including smuggling ODS and evading arrest, is available here.
Partial List of Enforcement Actions under Title VI of the CAA
The following is a partial list of recent, major completed cases.
- 2016
August 18, 2016: Puerto Rico Pesticides Distributors Settle Case Involving Illegal Sale of Methyl Bromide Pesticides In Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands
Under a settlement with the EPA, two pesticide distributors, Superior-Angran LLC and Superior Angran Caribbean Inc. of Guaynabo, Puerto Rico, were required to come into compliance with the Clean Air Act and federal pesticides law. The two companies also agreed to pay a $210,000 fine and provide professional training for pesticide applicators. From 2013 to 2015, Superior-Angran purchased, stored and sold two pesticides containing methyl bromide without complying with the Clean Air Act’s ozone-depleting substances reporting and recordkeeping requirements. Superior Angran Caribbean exported the same two pesticides containing methyl bromide without complying with the Clean Air Act’s ozone-depleting substances reporting requirements.
June 21, 2016: United States Settles with Trader Joe’s to Reduce Ozone-Depleting and Greenhouse Gas Emissions at Stores Nationwide
The national grocery store chain Trader Joe’s Company has agreed to reduce emissions from refrigeration equipment at 453 of its stores under a settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice and the EPA to resolve alleged violations of the Clean Air Act. Under the settlement, Trader Joe’s agreed to spend an estimated $2 million over three years to reduce coolant leaks from refrigerators and other equipment and improve company-wide compliance. The company also agreed to pay a $500,000 civil penalty.
May 4, 2016: Clifton, N.J. Recycling Company to Install Pollution Controls for Air Pollution Violations
Under a settlement with the EPA and U.S. Department of Justice, Parkway Iron and Metal Co. agreed to pay $145,000 and spend approximately $260,000 to install pollution controls for alleged Clean Air Act violations at its scrap metal recycling business in Clifton, N.J. The company was fined for improperly shredding dozens of refrigerators, freezers and air conditioners without first removing refrigerants, including chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HFCs).
March 8, 2016: Washington Seafood Companies Agree to Cut Ozone-Depleting and Greenhouse Gas Refrigerant Releases
Two seafood processing and cold storage companies, Ocean Gold Seafoods Inc. and Ocean Cold LLC, have agreed to cut their releases of ozone-depleting and greenhouse gases from leaking refrigeration equipment at their facilities in Westport, Washington. In the settlement, the Ocean Companies agreed to pay $495,000 in penalties for violations of the federal Clean Air Act and Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act. In addition to the penalties, as part of the settlement, the Ocean Companies have agreed to fix all refrigerant leaks and implement facility-wide improvements expected to cost about $260,000.
- 2015
Enviro-Safe Refrigerants, Inc., of Pekin, Illinois, has agreed to pay a $300,000 civil penalty and cease marketing and sale of unapproved flammable hydrocarbon refrigerants as substitutes for ODS. Enviro-Safe allegedly violated CAA requirements through the marketing and sale of two flammable hydrocarbon refrigerant products, ES 22a and ES 502a, as substitutes for ODS without providing the requisite information to EPA for review and approval. EPA has not approved any flammable hydrocarbon as a replacement for ODS in systems not specifically designed for flammable refrigerants and has warned that use of flammable refrigerants in those systems presents a risk of fire or explosion.
May 6, 2015: Navy settles environmental violations at Naval Station Norfolk
A settlement between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Navy will help reduce potentially harmful discharges of ozone-depleting substances at the Naval Station Norfolk in Virginia. Under the settlement, the Navy will pay an $83,900 penalty for violations of the Clean Air Act and the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). The Clean Air Act violations pertained to regulations designed to reduce discharges of ozone-depleting substances used as coolants in air conditioning units. EPA alleged that the facility did not perform leak rate calculations when it serviced the units. The Navy has implemented improved training and recordkeeping to help ensure proper servicing of equipment.
January 8, 2015: DuPont Fined for Air Pollution at Deepwater, New Jersey
E.I. DuPont de Nemours and Company (DuPont) has been fined $531,000 for alleged CAA violations at its chemical manufacturing plant in Deepwater, New Jersey. EPA fined DuPont for improper maintenance and repair of two large refrigeration units. When properly maintained, the systems are designed to minimize chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) from leaking into the environment. The company also failed to accurately submit reports to EPA under the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act.
- 2014
October 16, 2014: Metal Dynamics Agrees to Settlement with United States to Reduce Pollution
Metal Dynamics, a Detroit scrap metal and iron recycling company, has agreed to pay $110,000 in penalties and invest $400,000 to resolve allegations that it violated the CAA. Under the settlement, Metal Dynamics agreed to implement a CAA compliance program at its facility to eliminate the harmful release of ODS and has also agreed to modify its torch cutting of metals to keep harmful particulate emissions at or below legal limits.
September 3, 2014: United States Settles with Costco to Cut Ozone-Depleting and Greenhouse Gas Refrigerant Emissions Nationwide
Costco Wholesale Corporation has agreed to cut its emissions of ODS and greenhouse gases from leaking refrigeration equipment at more than half of its stores nationwide. Costco will pay $335,000 in penalties for federal CAA violations and will fix refrigerant leaks and make other improvements at 274 of its stores, which EPA estimates will cost about $2 million over the next three years. Costco violated the CAA by failing to promptly repair leaks of a hydrochloroflurocarbon (HCFC) refrigerant, HCFC-22, between 2004 and 2007. Costco also failed to keep adequate records of the servicing of its refrigeration equipment to prevent harmful leaks.
June 24, 2014: Air Conditioner Thief Pleads Guilty to Violating Clean Air Act
Martin C. Eldridge III, of Columbus, Ohio, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to violating the CAA when he cut the tubing on air conditioning units he was stealing and released a regulated refrigerant, HCFC-22, into the environment. Eldridge and others stole at least 49 air conditioner units between August and October 2013 to sell the copper and parts from the units at scrap yards. Under the plea agreement, Eldridge will serve 31 months in federal prison and then will remain under court supervision for an additional 12 months during which time he must perform 200 hours of community service.
- 2013
September 4, 2013: United States Reaches Settlement with Safeway to Reduce Emissions of Ozone-Depleting Substances Nationwide
In a settlement agreement with the United States, Safeway, a national grocery store chain, has agreed to pay a $600,000 civil penalty and implement a corporate-wide plan to significantly reduce ODS emissions from refrigeration equipment at 659 of its stores nationwide, estimated to cost approximately $4.1 million. The settlement involves the largest number of facilities ever under the CAA’s regulations governing refrigeration equipment.
- 2012
August 10, 2012: Icicle Seafoods Settles Clean Air Violations for Leaks of Ozone-Depleting Refrigerant
Icicle Seafood, Inc., has agreed to resolve a series of CAA violations associated with HCFC-22 refrigerant. The violations include failure to repair refrigerant leaks in a timely manner, failure to ensure adequate repairs to refrigeration appliances before resuming operation, failure to possess a certified refrigerant recovery device for use when performing service on refrigeration appliances, and inadequate records of repair service on refrigeration appliances.
American Seafoods Co. LLC and Pacific Longline Co. LLC have agreed to a legal settlement that requires them to phase out the use of ozone-depleting refrigerants, improve shipboard refrigeration systems at a cost of at least $9 million, and pay a $700,000 penalty to resolve CAA violations. The litigation stemmed from the improper release and illegal import of ozone-depleting refrigerants.
- 2011
October 18, 2011: Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc., to Pay $300,000 Civil Penalty for Clean Air Act Violations at St. Joseph, Mo., Facility
Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc. (BIV), has agreed to pay a $300,000 civil penalty to settle a series of alleged violations of the CAA at its veterinary health products facility in St. Joseph, Missouri. The complaint alleges that the facility’s annualized leak rates of one or more of its industrial refrigeration systems exceeded 35 percent on one or more occasions during a five-year period. It also alleges BIV failed to perform leak testing and follow-up verification tests, develop retrofit or retirement plans for leaking equipment, complete retrofit or replacement of leaking equipment, and maintain proper service and maintenance records for its equipment. BIV has also agreed to replace refrigeration equipment at its Fort Dodge, Iowa, facility, switching older equipment that use ODS for new units that do not use ODS.
October 17, 2011: Oregon Seafood Company Fined for Failing to Track Ozone-Depleting Refrigerants
Da Yang Seafoods, Inc., in Astoria, Oregon, will pay nearly $27,000 in penalties for failing to keep proper records for its refrigeration equipment. The equipment uses HCFC refrigerants. From July 2006 to August 2007, Da Yang serviced its blast freezer at least 22 times and failed to properly document the dates of service.
September 28, 2011: Food Manufacturing Company in Ward Hill, Mass. Cited for Clean Air Act Violations
Cedar’s Mediterranean Foods, Inc., a food manufacturing company, faces a possible $108,320 fine for 12 violations of the federal CAA. According to a complaint, the company failed to repair leaks, perform initial and follow-up tests after repairing leaks, and keep equipment servicing records for refrigeration equipment containing the refrigerant HCFC-22.
July 29, 2011: Miami Man Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison for Smuggling Refrigerant
Brendan Clery was sentenced to 18 months in prison for illegally importing HCFC-22 into the United States. He was also ordered to pay a $40,000 criminal fine and forfeit illegal proceeds exceeding $900,000. Clery illegally smuggled approximately 20,460 cylinders of restricted HCFC-22 with a market value of $1,438,270. At no time did Clery, or his company Lateral Investments, hold unexpended consumption allowances that would have allowed them to legally import the refrigerant. This case is part of a larger criminal investigation known as "Operation Catch-22."
March 23, 2011: Refrigeration Company Pays Penalty for Environmental Violations in 3 Mass. Facilities
Preferred Freezer Services, a refrigerated warehouse company, has agreed to pay $75,000 to settle a case brought by EPA for CAA violations at three cold-storage facilities in Massachusetts. EPA alleged that three facilities failed to certify to EPA that they had appropriate CFC recovery or recycling equipment. Further, at two of the facilities, a company technician serviced appliances containing CFCs on various occasions without being certified by an approved certification program.
February 24, 2011: Metal Management West, Inc. to Pay $75,000 for Alleged Clean Air Act Ozone Rule Violations (Utah)
EPA alleged that Metal Management West, a scrap metal operator in Salt Lake City, Utah, accepted appliances and motor vehicles without verification that the refrigerant had been properly removed in accordance with EPA regulations. EPA and the company have entered into a consent agreement in which Metal Management will pay a $75,000 penalty for the alleged violations.
- 2010
November 3, 2010: Mass. Plumbing Supply Company Cited for Illegal Sales of Refrigerant
Based on the findings of an undercover inspector, EPA has proposed a penalty of $30,000 against a Fall River plumbing and supply company charged with selling ozone-depleting refrigerants in violation of EPA regulations. According to EPA’s New England office, Robinson Plumbing and Heating Supply Company sold ozone-depleting refrigerants to non-certified technicians at two separate sales outlets in Massachusetts, in violation of the CAA.
July 15, 2010: City of Tacoma Settles for Nearly $525,000 for Release of Ozone-Depleting Gases
The city of Tacoma, Washington, will pay nearly $225,000 in penalties for the release of CFCs stemming from its refrigerated appliance disposal service, according to a consent decree lodged by the U.S. Department of Justice on behalf of EPA. The city will also pay nearly $300,000 for new pollution-reduction projects in Tacoma.
January 27, 2010: Businessman Convicted for Evading $1.9 Million in Taxes on Sales of Ozone-Depleting Greenhouse Gases
Dov Shellef, a businessman from Great Neck, New York, was convicted on 86 counts of conspiring to defraud the Internal Revenue Service in the collection of approximately $1.9 million in excise taxes due on sales of CFC-113. The jury also convicted Shellef for subscribing to false corporate tax returns, wire fraud, and money laundering. Shellef faces a maximum prison sentence of five years for the conspiracy, three years for the false corporate tax return, 20 years for the wire fraud convictions, and 20 years for the money laundering convictions.
Additional information on other cases, including older ones, can be found at EPA's Enforcement website here.