According to the settlement, Hercules violated the National Emission Standards for organic hazardous air pollutants for equipment leaks, which require chemical making facilities to implement LDAR programs to control hazardous air pollutant emissions from equipment leaks.
In 2007, EPA inspected the Louisiana facility, which was using substances such as formaldehyde, pentaerythritol, methanol and acetaldehyde.
EPA said the substances used by the facility are classified as hazardous air pollutants under the Clean Air Act.
EPA also said the leaking equipment such as valves, pumps and connectors are the largest source of emissions of volatile organic compounds and volatile hazardous air pollutants from petroleum refineries and chemical manufacturers.
