August 11, 2000
Vol. 30, No. 247

For more information, contact Ali Mirzakhalili, Air Quality Management, 302-323-4542, or Melinda Carl, Information and Education, 302-739-4506

Formosa Assessed $46,200 Penalty for Air Pollution Violations

Formosa Plastics Corporation, located in Delaware City, was issued a Notice of Administrative Penalty Assessment and Order with a penalty of $46,200 today by DNREC Secretary Nicholas A. DiPasquale. The Order was issued for violations of Delaware’s regulations governing the control of air pollution.

Formosa Plastics Corporation is a plastics manufacturer whose core business is the production and processing of commodity chemicals and plastic resins. Formosa produces polyvinyl chloride (PVC) resin for bulk sale to other industries that produce PVC end products. Formosa is a major source for the emission of vinyl chloride monomer (VCM). The Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 list VCM as a hazardous air pollutant.

The Department cited Formosa for four separate incidents of excess emissions of vinyl chloride monomer (VCM) to the atmosphere through manway and jet valve discharges. The four incidents of excessive releases of VCM, totaling approximately 8,000 pounds occurred on Sept. 17, 1998 (23 pounds), Oct. 1, 1998 (658 pounds),
Oct. 25, 1998 (31 pounds) and Sept. 4, 1999 (7,253 pounds). Due to the nature and circumstances of each incident, none of the releases represented a threat to the community. For example, the fourth and largest emission of 7,253 pounds triggered a “quench” system that kept the release from leaving the boundaries of the plant. Since the incidents, for all cases, Formosa has adopted measures to prevent reoccurrence.

The Department also cited Formosa for failure to include the potential emissions from vinyl acetate monomer and ammonia in their Reg. 2 permit application in 1996.

In signing the Order, Secretary DiPasquale said, “In upholding our mission to protect the public, DNREC must penalize industries for excessive releases of hazardous chemical releases. Although three of the four releases were relatively minor, having four violations in less than a year created a concern that Formosa needed to better manage its operations”

Formosa has 30 days in which to request a public hearing to appeal the Order.

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Document no. 40-01/00/08/16

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