Ardagh fined by EPA over wastewater discharge violation
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said wastewater discharged by a plant of the glass manufacturing company in Milford, Massachusetts into wetlands adjacent to the Charles River will be cleaner as a result of the settlement.
Equipment investment
Ardagh agreed to install equipment that will enhance treatment of stormwater before it is discharged and it will buy firefighting equipment and materials for the Town of Milford Fire Department.
EPA alleged that Ardagh was in violation of its permits issued under the Clean Water Act to discharge stormwater and cooling water.
FoodProductionDaily has contacted Ardagh for comment and is waiting for a response.
During a site inspection in 2013, EPA inspectors found the company was not consistently in compliance with permit effluent limitations for maximum daily flow, acidity, temperature and residual chlorine concentrations in cooling water it discharged between 2010 and 2014.
EPA also alleged the company did not comply with the conditions in its stormwater discharge permit.
Permit and plan
While Ardagh maintained a Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan, it was not fully implementing certain terms and conditions required by the permit and in the plan.
These included conducting and documenting all the required routine facility site inspections, quarterly visual assessments for discharges to the wetlands, and annual comprehensive site inspections and managing stormwater runoff to minimize soil erosion and reduce pollutants in discharges to the wetlands and ultimately the Charles River.
Finally EPA alleged that the company discharged untreated process wastewater into adjacent wetlands without a permit.
The Clean Water Act prohibits the discharge of process wastewater without a permit or in violation of requirements in a permit.
The law also requires industrial facilities, such as glass manufacturers, have controls in place to minimize pollutants from being discharged with stormwater into nearby waterways.
“We are glad that action has been taken to make sure wastewater and stormwater discharged by the company complies with federal permits and standards designed to protect our environment,” said Curt Spalding, regional administrator of EPA’s New England office.
