The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has announced a settlement with HA International LLC, a producer of resin-coated sand for the foundry and hydraulic fracturing industries. It resolves alleged violations of the Clean Air Act at the company’s Oregon, Illinois, facility. According to a news release, the settlement requires the company to install equipment to reduce the facility’s emissions of volatile organic compounds by an estimated 92 percent or 797 tons annually.
HA International is also required to pay a $100,000 civil penalty and to complete environmental projects in the Oregon area. These projects include improving the heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems at Oregon High School and the Creston School in Creston, Illinois. The projects will increase energy efficiency and reduce environmental asthma triggers in the schools. HA International will also upgrade dust collection equipment at the Oregon facility.
The EPA inspected the facility following complaints from residents about odors. Test results showed that emissions of volatile organic compounds, primarily the hazardous air pollutants phenol and formaldehyde, exceeded limits in the Illinois Clean Air Act State Implementation Plan.
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