To settle the alleged violations of federal regulations for polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), the companies have agreed to pay a civil penalty of $20,000 and spend $38,600 on a public health environmental project involving the removal and proper disposal of a 191-gallon PCB transformer in the building’s basement.
SSH Management is the manager of the office building, while 1500 Walnut Enterprises is the building’s owner.
The consent agreement resolves alleged Toxic Substances Control Act regulatory violations discovered when EPA inspectors conducted a compliance evaluation inspection at the building on 6 May 2009.
The alleged violations include storage of combustible materials within each of two PCB transformer enclosures; failure to prepare and maintain annual visual inspection and maintenance history records for three PCB transformers; and failure to develop and maintain annual written document logs of the PCBs located onsite for 2006, 2007 and 2008.
Removal of the 191-gallon PCB transformer will eliminate the potential of exposure to PCBs in the event of a fire or other emergency situation, EPA said.
