SAN FRANCISCO – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced a settlement with Hill Brothers Chemical Company to resolve claims of violations of the Clean Air Act’s chemical accident prevention provisions at facilities in the City of Industry, California and in Phoenix, Arizona. Under the settlement, Hill Brothers will pay a civil penalty of $205,000. The chemical accident provisions of the Clean Air Act are designed to ensure the safe manufacture, use, storage, and handling of flammable and toxic substances.
“Reducing risks from accidental releases of toxic substances is a top priority for EPA,” said EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator Martha Guzman. “This settlement demonstrates that EPA will be vigilant in holding accountable companies that fail to comply with environmental laws, thereby putting our communities in harm’s way.”
The two facilities in question manage a range of chemical substances. The City of Industry facility receives and repackages anhydrous ammonia and manufactures aqueous ammonia, and also receives chlorine and other chemicals. The Phoenix facility receives and repackages chlorine and receives and distributes sulfur dioxide and anhydrous ammonia. The Phoenix facility also manufactures sodium hypochlorite (bleach) from chlorine and caustic.
During a 2016 EPA inspection of the Phoenix facility and a 2017 EPA inspection of the City of Industry facility and subsequent investigation, EPA found that Hill Brothers did not have adequate information to show that its pressure safety devices were discharging to a safe location or were adequately sized according to industry standards. EPA also determined that Hill Brothers needed to conduct additional preventative maintenance inspections and tests on its equipment, had missing operating procedures, did not check the safety performance history of its contractors before selection, had inconsistencies in employee training, and needed to implement the recommendations from its analysis of its chemical processes and incident investigations. Hill Brothers addressed these concerns pursuant to an EPA order issued on consent in March 2021 and is currently in compliance.
EPA’s Clean Air Act Risk Management Program (RMP) regulations work to prevent accidental chemical releases in our communities and the environment. Facilities holding more than a threshold quantity of a regulated toxic substance, such as the anhydrous ammonia or chlorine present at Hill Brothers, are required to comply with EPA’s RMP regulations. Anhydrous ammonia can cause serious, often irreversible health effects when released. In addition to potential impacts from inhalation or skin contact with this substance, it is highly flammable. Chlorine is a greenish-yellow gas with a pungent, irritating odor. Exposure to chlorine can result in nose, throat, and eye irritation, damage to the lungs, or death. The RMP regulations require owners or operators to develop and implement a risk management program to manage regulated toxic substances safely.
Learn about the National Enforcement and Compliance Initiative on reducing risks of accidental releases at industrial and chemical facilities.
For more information on reporting possible violations of environmental laws and regulations, visit EPA’s enforcement reporting website.
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