EPA penalizes a Massachusetts chemical company for allegedly violating chemical safety law | US EPA
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BOSTON (Jan. 30, 2024) – The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced an administrative penalty of $74,914 against Roberts Chemical Company, Inc. in Attleboro, Mass. regarding alleged violations of the Clean Air Act General Duty Clause.
“Hazardous chemicals need to be clearly labeled, and safely explained, stored, and moved to ensure the safety of workers, families in the area, and emergency responders if accidents occur,” EPA New England Regional Administrator David W. Cash. “We don’t roll the dice on protecting public health and the environment. One lesson from this case is that companies transferring extremely hazardous chemicals should have excellent hose maintenance programs. In this case, approximately 5,000-gallons of sulfuric acid spilled from a ruptured transfer hose while a tank railcar was being unloaded.”
The Consent Agreement and Final Order that details the summary of alleged violations and terms of the settlement is available upon request.
Description of Facility
Roberts Chemical repackages and stores multiple chemicals at its Attleboro, Massachusetts facility. The facility is supplied with bulk chemicals by tanker truck or railcar. Chemical unloading operations occur at dedicated tank truck and railcar unloading stations.
Several chemicals are stored in bulk at the Facility in aboveground storage tanks. After repackaging, finished products are primarily transferred into drums and totes for off-site shipments to customers. The Facility handles several chemicals that are considered “extremely hazardous substances” under the General Duty Clause, including sulfuric acid, nitric acid, aqueous ammonia, and cyanides.
The Facility is located in a 37-acre private industrial park approximately three miles southwest of downtown Attleboro. Industrial operators border the Facility to the south, and the Facility is bordered on the north and east by a rail line. The nearest residences are located approximately 0.10 miles northwest beyond the rail line.
For more information about chemical accident prevention, visit: www.epa.gov/rmp/chemical-accident-prevention-chemicals-your-community.
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