Top Air Pollution Penalties
The South Coast Air Quality Management District has responsibility to control air pollution. It can seek court-imposed fines against polluters of $25 to $25,000 a day based on such factors as the extent that emissions exceed legal limits, potential danger to the public, whether the violation was intentional, accidental or caused by negligence and the company’s history of violations. These are the 10 top penalties in October: COMPANY: Mobil Exploration & Producing, Santa Fe Springs TYPE OF BUSINESS: Oil refinery PENALTY: $75,000 VIOLATION: Release of organic vapors contrary to permit conditions. COMPANY: P.C. World Inc.,Irvine TYPE OF BUSINESS: Printed circuits maker PENALTY: $20,000 VIOLATION: Failure to obtain necessary permits to alter control equipment and add a plating line, exceeding daily usage limits, failure to maintain adequate usage records. COMPANY: Lunday-Thagard Co., South Gate TYPE OF BUSINESS: Oil refinery PENALTY: $11,500 VIOLATION: Operating equipment without venting emissions to control equipment, operating an incinerator contrary to permit conditions. COMPANY: Arco Products, Carson TYPE OF BUSINESS: Oil refinery PENALTY: $8,500 VIOLATION: Volatile organic compound emissions from open lines and tanks, failure to keep equipment in good operating condition. COMPANY: Kirkhill Rubber Co., Brea TYPE OF BUSINESS: Rubber products maker PENALTY: $6,200 VIOLATION: Volatile organic compound emissions from spraying adhesive. COMPANY: Four Corners Pipe Line Co.,Long Beach TYPE OF BUSINESS: Oil product storage and transfer PENALTY: $5,000 VIOLATION: Excessive reactive organic compound emissions, failure to properly maintain a tank and several valves and pumps. COMPANY: Trail Chemical Corp.,El Monte TYPE OF BUSINESS: Paint and coatings maker PENALTY: $5,000 VIOLATION: Selling an improperly labeled coating containing organic solvents. In a testing dispute, Trail Chemical Corp. also agreed to settle a violation against R&K; Finishing, a brass fixtures shop in Cerritos, which was cited for excessive volatile organic compound emissions. COMPANY: Upland Service Nissan, Upland TYPE OF BUSINESS: Automotive repair shop PENALTY: $5,000 VIOLATION: Failure to use recycling equipment to recover or recycle refrigerant, failure to check vehicle systems for leaks before adding refrigerant. COMPANY: Valley Brass Inc.,El Monte TYPE OF BUSINESS: Brass foundry PENALTY: $2,500 VIOLATION: Failure to obtain a permit to alter control equipment, violating permit conditions that require an afterburner to maintain a temperature of 1,400 degrees. COMPANY: Action Finishes Co., Sylmar TYPE OF BUSINESS: Metal products coater PENALTY: $1,500 VIOLATION: Operating five pieces of equipment with expired permits.
