NEWS FROM THE DELAWARE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL
July 2, 2008
Vol. 38, No. 309
For further information, contact Paul Foster, Division of Air and Waste Management, 302-323-4542 or Joanna Wilson, Public Affairs, 302-739-9902.
DNREC Issues Notice of Penalty to Croda Uniqema
of New Castle for Air Pollution Violations
Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control Secretary John A. Hughes issued a Notice of Administrative Penalty Assessment and Secretary’s Order to Croda Uniqema for violation of its permit. The Order includes a cash penalty of $11,000 and an additional $1,650 as cost recovery reimbursement to the Department for expenses associated with its investigation.
Croda Uniqema owns and operates a facility in New Castle that manufactures surfactants, additives used in a variety of products including cleaners, toothpaste and cosmetics. The facility stores and uses ethylene oxide (EO) and propylene oxide (PO), which are classified as hazardous air pollutants. Croda Uniqema’s operations are subject to Delaware’s Title V permit requirements. However, the company elected to accept enforceable operating limitations and requirements in order to obtain a synthetic minor permit.
One of Croda Uniqema’s permit requirements is to conduct semi-annual leak detection and repair (LDAR) inspections of its EO/PO Storage Area and to submit a corresponding report to the Department. Since its permitted emission limitations on hazardous air pollutants are based on engineering estimates which rely on the repair of EO and PO leaks as detected, a properly operated LDAR program is critical.
During an inspection at the facility on Feb. 7, 2006, the Department learned that Croda Uniqema had not conducted the second semi-annual LDAR inspection for 2005 until Jan. 19, 2006. The Department issued Croda Uniqema a Notice of Violation dated March 27, 2006.
Croda Uniqema has 30 days to request a public hearing.
