TSCA traps for the unwary plant manager
Plant managers in the CPI should proceed with caution in making some changes in chemical processes or waste disposal. A number of seemingly routine decisions, often made at the level of the plant manager and even below, can turn into costly compliance traps under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). TSCA is a federal statute designed to give the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) information and control over commercial chemicals. Originally passed in 1976, the regulations it supports have been reworked at various times over the years. EPA is on the hunt for TSCA violators. In a December 1992 blitz, EPA assessed combined TSCA penalties of $9 million against 22 major chemical companies, including several of the top 20 international producers. According to a recent EPA press release, these actions are only the first in a series of planned enforcements initiatives. Among the various environmental statutes, TSCA is one of the most costly to violate. TSCA authorizes $23,000-per-day penalties for violations of its rules. EPA's internal penalty policies apply rigid formulas, often resulting in million-dollar assessments for essentially paperwork violations.
- OSTI ID:
- 5895103
- Journal Information:
- Chemical Engineering (New York); (United States), Vol. 100:9; ISSN 0009-2460
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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