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PENNSVILLE TWP. — The federal government fined a chemical manufacturing plant operated by E.I. DuPont de Nemours and Company in Deepwater for $531,000 because of its possible effect on the environment.
According to the DuPont Chambers Works Complex plant manager, the site is committed to meeting regulatory requirements and operating standards for environmental protection.
The DuPont Chambers Works Complex was in violation of the Clean Air Act, according to an announcement made by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Thursday.
The EPA states that DuPont improperly maintained and repaired two large refrigeration units that are designed to minimize chlorofluorocarbons — commonly known as CFCs — leaking into the environment.
According to the EPA, the facility's chemical manufacturing process involves the two refrigeration units, which have a 3,000-pound capacity for CFCs.
"CFCs deplete the ozone layer and this destruction has been clearly linked to an increase in people getting skin cancer," said Judth A. Enck, EPA regional administrator, in Thursday's statement. "As the ozone gets thinner, more harmful ultraviolet rays reach the Earth's surface and put people's health at risk."
According to the EPA, DuPont also failed to submit reports to the agency under the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act.
In a response to that, plant manager Dawn M. Hughes made a statement indicating that the DuPont Chambers Works reached an agreement with the EPA related to the record keeping allegations and audits done by the agency in 2007 and 2009.
"There were no allegations that the site had any un-permitted emissions or that any impact was made to human health or the environment from these procedural issues," Hughes said in a statement. "Under the settlement, DuPont reviewed all of its Clean Air Act and Emergency Planning and Community Right–to-Know requirements to ensure that all areas of alleged non-compliance have been addressed."
Don E. Woods may be reached at dwoods@southjerseymedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @donewoods1. Find the South Jersey Times on Facebook.