The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Justice Department have announced a settlement with BCP Ingredients Inc. over Clean Air Act violations at its Verona, Missouri, facility.
The company agreed to:
- Pay a $300,000 civil penalty.
- Install a scrubber system to remove an estimated 16,550 lbs of additional ethylene oxide emissions over its lifespan.
- Invest $350,000 in community projects: emergency equipment for Verona Fire Department, two mobile health clinic vehicles, and localized medical services via Cox Health Foundation.
EPA found BCP failed to develop EtO release procedures, fix malfunctioning alarms (allowing a release to continue over seven hours), conduct required audits, coordinate with emergency responders, maintain written safety information for ventilation, and update the Risk Management Plan every five years.
BCP entered a compliance order in September 2022 and has met its requirements. The consent decree is subject to a 30-day public comment period and final court approval.
