Air Compliance and Enforcement News (Region 5): EPA reaches agreement with Owens-Brockway on clean-air violations

CONTACT: William Omohundro, 312-353-8254, omohundro.william@epa.gov  

For Immediate Release          
No. 09-OPA095

EPA reaches agreement with Owens-Brockway on clean-air violations

(Chicago, Ill. - May 26, 2009) U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 5 has reached an agreement with Owens-Brockway Glass Container Inc. on alleged Clean Air Act violations at the company's glass container manufacturing plant at 901 N. Shabbona St., Streator, Ill.

The agreement, which includes a $76,725 penalty, resolves EPA allegations that Owens-Brockway violated federally enforceable state regulations and its state operating permit by allowing excessive amounts of particulates (smoke, dust, ash) to be emitted from its glass melting furnace. The alleged violations were discovered during review of information submitted in response to an EPA information request.

In a related action, Owens-Brockway agreed to use an electric boost and glass production rate schedule to reduce particulate emissions from its glass melting furnace.  The company has shown that the method is effective by conducting a number of stack tests, and will incorporate the method into its state operating permit.

Inhaling high concentrations of particulates can have adverse health effects, particularly in children, the elderly and people with heart and lung disease.

Information on EPA Region 5’s air enforcement program is at http://www.epa.gov/region5/air/enforce/index.html.  Potential environmental violations may be reported at http://www.epa.gov/compliance/complaints.

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