Colorite Pays 1.3 Million Dollar Penalty
Colorite Specialty Resins in Somerville, NJ manufactures polyvinyl chloride plastic and vinyl products. The manufacturing process emits vinyl chloride, a chemical that the United States Environmental Protection Agency has classified as a Class A carcinogen. Exposure to vinyl chloride has been associated with adverse human health issues such as neurological disorders and angiosarcoma of the liver.
Colorite Specialty Resins, headquartered in Somerville, N.J., has agreed to perform corrective measures at its Burlington, N.J., manufacturing facility that will reduce harmful emissions of vinyl chloride to resolve alleged violations of federal and state environmental laws, the Justice Department, the state of New Jersey, and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced in an Aug. 19 press release.
According to the settlement the company will pay a 1.3 million dollar civil penalty which will be split between the state of New Jersey and the United States. They have also agreed to two federal environment projects, projects aimed at further reducing emissions and which are estimated to have a cost of about one million dollars. These two projects together are expected to reduce Colorite's emissions by about 11,000 pounds per year.
As a further safety measure the company, by it's agreement, will develop a training program for all employees of that facility and implement a comprehensive leak detection and repair program.
