U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 5 recently settled an administrative case involving hazardous chemical reporting violations with Steel Dynamics, Butler, Ind. An additional case was settled with Kohl's Foods, Milwaukee, Wis., and new complaints were filed against Sewall Gear Manufacturing, St. Paul, Minn., and U.S. Aluminate Co., Ashtabula, Ohio.

Steel Dynamics paid $40,700 to resolve EPA's complaint for failure to properly report a release of 2,000 gallons of spent pickle liquor containing ferrous chloride on January 18, 1999. The release was reported to the National Response Center eight days after it occurred. In addition to violations of the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know portion of the Superfund law, the complaint also included a violation of the Clean Water Act because the spill eventually reached the Solomon Shank Ditch, a public waterway.

Kohl's paid $140,000 to resolve EPA's complaint for failing to promptly notify the National Response Center and the local emergency response commission during an accidental release of 3,800 pounds of ammonia from its warehouse on Sept. 10, 2002. A required written follow-up report was also filed late, 39 days after the incident. The incident occurred when pressure relief components in the facility's refrigeration system failed. A vapor cloud caused several nearby businesses to be evacuated.

EPA Region 5 also filed a civil complaint proposing a $58,000 penalty against Sewall Gear Manufacturing. The company was cited for failure to submit to the Minnesota emergency response commission and the local fire department the required 2002 chemical inventory forms documenting the storage of 10,000 pounds of liquid nitrogen. The company was also cited previously for hazardous materials recordkeeping violations in 2001.

In a fourth case, a recent EPA complaint proposes a $124,550 penalty against U.S. Aluminate. The company was cited for failure to promptly notify the National Response Center, the Ohio Emergency Response Commission and the Ashtabula County local emergency planning committee of a 44,987-pound release of 50% sodium hydroxide solution on July 18, 2003. U.S. Aluminate was also late in submitting a required follow-up report to the local emergency response planning committee.