Dover Chemical to pay $1.4m to settle US environmental allegations

07 February 2012 22:51  [Source: ICIS news]

WASHINGTON (ICIS)--Dover Chemical Corp has agreed to pay $1.4m (€1m) and to end production of certain chlorinated paraffins in order to resolve federal allegations that it violated the US Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), the Justice Department said on Tuesday.

The Justice Department and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) alleged that Dover failed to file premanufacture notices with the EPA related to its production of chlorinated paraffins in 2009 as required by TSCA.

In addition to the civil penalty, Dover has agreed to halt production of short-chain chlorinated paraffins and will take part in an EPA review of all of the company’s chlorinated paraffins products.

Chlorinated paraffins are a family of compounds used as metals manufacturing lubricants and coolants, in paint additives and as plasticizers and flame retardants.

“Short-chain chlorinated paraffins, however, have been found to be bio accumulative in wildlife and humans, persistent and transported globally in the environment,” the department said.

In its further production of chlorinated paraffins, Dover has agreed to file the required premanufacture notices under TSCA, according to the department.

In the consent settlement that disposes of the EPA allegations, Dover noted that it “has denied, and continues to deny, all violations alleged” by the agency.

The EPA said that the terms of the Dover settlement mean that there will no longer be US production of short-chain chlorinated paraffins.

Dover Chemical is based in Dover, Ohio.

($1 = €0.76)

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