East Liverpool, Ohio – In a shocking turn of events, Heritage Environmental Services LLC, a subsidiary of Heritage Thermal Services Inc., has been found guilty of violating the Clean Air Act at its hazardous waste incinerator located in East Liverpool, Ohio.
The alleged violations arose from an explosion at the incinerator on July 13, 2013, which ruptured incinerator ducting, releasing untreated flue gas, steam, and boiler ash beyond the incinerator’s fence line.
“The July 2013 explosion at the Heritage incinerator was a consequence of systemic failures to comply with the Clean Air Act, which protects communities and American workers from harmful releases of air pollutants,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey H. Wood.
The U.S. alleges that Heritage violated the Clean Air Act on hundreds of days beginning in November 2010 and continuing thereafter, including violations emanating from the July 13, 2013 explosion. The violations include failures to comply with applicable emissions limits, operating parameter limits, and other Clean Air Act regulatory requirements.
As part of the settlement, Heritage will undertake extensive measures designed to bring its operations into compliance with the Clean Air Act. The company will not accept certain wastes that cause the kind of excess emissions that contributed to the July 2013 incident. Heritage is also required to investigate and implement corrective measures to reduce future emissions and will study whether other changes in its production process would also prevent Clean Air Act violations.
Heritage is also required to pay a penalty of $288,000, and to spend at least $302,500 performing lead hazard abatement work at properties within 25 miles of East Liverpool, Ohio where the owners cannot afford to undertake lead abatement or replacement of lead water service lines.
The public is invited to attend a meeting at the East Liverpool City Council Chambers on November 7, 2018, from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm EDT to provide the public with information about the settlement and to answer questions by the public.
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Key Facts
- State: Ohio
- Category: Environmental Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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