Cranston plant to pay EPA fine

A CRANSTON-BASED chemical processing facility agreed to pay $23,400 to settle claims it violated federal right-to-know laws, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said Thursday. / COURTESY U.S. EPA
A CRANSTON-BASED chemical processing facility agreed to pay $23,400 to settle claims it violated federal right-to-know laws, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said Thursday. / COURTESY U.S. EPA

CRANSTON – John R. Hess & Co., a chemical processing facility in Cranston, agreed to pay a fine of $23,400 to settle claims that it failed to appropriately report chemicals used on site in violation of federal right-to-know laws.
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency complaint, Hess processed more than the established thresholds of N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone, ethylene glycol, and other regulated chemicals, but did not report them during the required time period.
Hess submitted the forms after the due dates, resulting in five violations of the Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act.
The violations took place in 2008-2009; the agreement stems from an EPA inspection of the Hess facility, at 400 Station St., in 2010.
“This enforcement action is expected to encourage better compliance with EPCRA reporting requirements and to ensure that the community is not deprived of its right to know about chemicals being processed, manufactured or otherwise used in the neighborhood. The required information also protects the validity of health studies based on the TRI database and helps federal, state and local authorities plan for cleaning up industrial pollution.

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