EPA Announces Settlement with Purac America, Inc. d/b/a Corbion for Alleged Hazardous Waste Violations
Company will pay a $332,000 penalty to resolve the alleged violations and has agreed to perform a Supplemental Environmental Project (SEP) to improve hazardous waste storage practices at its Tucker, Georgia facility
ATLANTA, GA (September 27, 2024) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced today that it has reached a settlement with Purac America, Inc., doing business as Corbion (Corbion), to resolve alleged violations of federal and state laws governing the handling and storage of hazardous waste at its facility in Tucker, Georgia.
Corbion manufactures resins for the medical and pharmaceutical industries. The production processes generate liquid hazardous waste, including hazardous waste spent acetone and filters. In March 2023, the EPA conducted a compliance evaluation inspection at the facility under the federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). At the time of the inspection, the EPA observed several potential violations of the Georgia Hazardous Waste Management Act and its implementing regulations relating to the storage of hazardous waste in tanks and containers.
“It's important that generators of hazardous wastes follow federal and state regulations in order to protect human health and the environment,” said Keriema Newman, Director of the Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Division of the EPA’s Southeast Region. “As part of this settlement, the facility has agreed to make additional improvements to its hazardous waste management practices by implementing a Supplemental Environmental Project.”
A Supplemental Environmental Project, or SEP, is an environmentally beneficial project that is not required by law but that a party agrees to undertake as part of the settlement of an enforcement action. Such projects are closely related to the alleged violation being resolved, but go beyond what is legally required, and they secure environmental and public health benefits in addition to those achieved by compliance with the law. As part of this settlement, Corbion has agreed to implement a SEP at the facility. This SEP aims to eliminate a pathway for precipitation to enter and mix with hazardous waste that is managed in Corbion’s hazardous waste tank system through construction of a roof over the hazardous waste tank system and secondary containment area. The estimated cost of the SEP is $230,000.
In addition to performance of the SEP, the company has also agreed to pay a penalty totaling $332,000 and has certified that it has corrected all alleged noncompliance.
A copy of the Consent Agreement and Final Order can be found here: Corbion Consent Agreement and Final Order
Learn more about EPA’s hazardous waste program here.
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