BOSTON – Rhodes Technologies Inc., based in Coventry, is facing fines by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for alleged violations of hazardous waste regulations related to its eight storage tanks.
Rhode manufactures chemicals for the pharmaceuticals industry. Its operations generate large amounts of hazardous wastes, including highly flammable substances such as isopropyl alcohol and heptane.
The complaint alleges that Rhodes failed to:
- Obtain required tank integrity assessments or provide secondary containment for seven of its hazardous waste tanks.
- Label pipes and other equipment associated with the tanks as being in hazardous waste service.
- Perform required compliance inspections.
The violations, the EPA said, created “a serious potential risk to human health and the environment in the event that any of the tanks accidentally released hazardous wastes.”
Rhodes also failed to “properly determine whether certain wastes were hazardous, failed to have a complete emergency response plan, and failed to segregate incompatible hazardous wastes.” The complaint, which came about through an inspection that took place in September 2009, outlines a penalty of $251,439 for the violations.
In response to a request for comment from PBN, James Doyle, the associate general counsel at Rhodes, said: “[The] announcement comes as a result of an audit conducted more than two years ago. … Since that time we have communicated with the agency numerous times to learn what concerns, if any, they may have. In that time, we received no response. Last Monday, they informed of us their action.
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“None of the issues in this complaint involves any sort of incident or harm to the environment. Our commitment to being a safe, responsible employer in the community is our top priority. We look forward to working with the agency to resolve this matter in a constructive, collaborative way.”
