NEWS FROM THE DELAWARE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL

April 14, 2000
Vol. 30, No. 104

For more information contact Maria A. Taylor, Information and Education, 302-739-4506

Metachem Products Assessed $200,000 for Violating Air Regulations

Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control Secretary Nicholas A. DiPasquale today issued an Administrative Penalty Assessment and Order with a penalty of $200,000 to Metachem Products, LLC. Metachem, formerly Standard Chlorine of Delaware, Inc., is a chemical production facility located in New Castle.

Today's Secretary's Order and penalty follows a Cease and Desist Order issued to the company on Feb. 28, 2000, which required the company to shut down the operation of a metadichlorobenzene purification process because it was in violation of Delaware's air pollution regulations.

In February, Secretary DiPasquale charged that the company constructed, installed, and operated equipment which may cause or contribute to the discharge of an air contaminant, without first obtaining a permit from the Secretary, as required by Delaware's pollution control laws.

The $200,000 penalty is to be paid as follows:

$50,000 in a direct administrative penalty to the Department;
$50,000 to the Department for a Riparian Corridor Restoration project in the vicinity of Metachem's facility;
$50,000 to the Department ,or its designated vendor, for the exclusive purpose of making emissions and permitting data more readily available to the public on the Department's internet site;
$50,000 which the Department has agreed to waive if Metachem meets a list of conditions that includes no high priority violations for one year.

Today's Order and penalty recognizes that Metachem responded in a timely and good faith manner to the Department's previous order. On Feb. 28, Metachem immediately deactivated the process and submitted a completed construction/operating permit. Metachem has agreed to install activated carbon canisters on the process vent. These canisters are projected to significantly reduce final emissions from the process.

The Department has examined and approved the plan for installation of the activated carbon canisters, and issued a construction permit to Metachem Products, LLC. The pollution control device has been inspected and the company has been authorized to resume operation of the purification unit.

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Document no. 40-01/00/04/16

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