# AMERICAN CYANAMID CO
> **Judicial** · FY1982 · — · Final Order With Penalty
## Case
- **Activity ID:** `1857`
- **Case Number:** 02-1982-0048
- **Type:** Judicial
- **Lead:** EPA
- **Outcome:** Final Order With Penalty
- **Penalty assessed:** $20K
- **Cost recovery:** —
- **Compliance action $:** —
- **Multimedia (multi-env):** N
## Defendants
- AMERICAN CYANAMID CO. (complaint) (settlement)
## Summary

NATURE OF THE CASE:                                             THE AMERICAN CYANAMID CO HAD A SPILL OF SULFURIC        ACID AT ITS WARNERS PLANT IN LINDEN, NJ ON 7/11/82. APP-     ROX 8.3 TONS OF 99% PURE SULFURIC ACID WERE DISCHARGED       FROM AN OVERFLOW LINE DURING THE FILLING OF AN ACID STOR-    AGE TANK. THE ACID SOAKED INTO THE GROUND & SEEPED INTO      THE ARTHUR KILL. ALTHOUGH THE CO DID SPREAD SOME SODA        LIME ON THE GROUND WHERE THE SPILL TOOK PLACE, THE AMOUNT    USED WAS LESS THAN 2% OF THE AMOUNT NEEDED TO NEUTRALIZE     THE ACID. THE CO REPORTED THE SPILL ON 7/12. EPA IS          TAKING THE LEAD IN SEEKING PENALTIES FOR THIS SPILL UNDER    SECTION 311(B)(6) OF THE CWA.                                     THE CO SAID 8.3 TONS WERE SPILLED IN ITS NOTIFICA-      TION OF THE SPILL, IN STATEMENTS TO EPA & COAST GUARD IN-    VESTIGATORS, & IN A FOLLOW-UP LTR. HOWEVER, THE AMOUNT       WAS CALCULATED THROUGH AN INVENTORY CHECK THE DAY AFTER      THE SPILL. THE AMOUNT WAS NOT ESTIMATED THROUGH AN OBSER-    VATION OF THE SPILL DIRECTLY SINCE THE ACID SIMPLY SOAKED    INTO THE VERY PERMEABLE GROUND AROUND THE STORAGE TANK.      THE CO HAS INDICATED THAT ITS CALCULATION MAY BE SUSPECT     & MAY BE OFF BY AS MUCH AS 8 TONS. THIS REGN SUGGESTS        THIS INDICATES THE SPILL MAY BE LARGER OR SMALLER THAN       THE ESTIMATED 8.3 TONS REPORTED. SINCE THE AMOUNT OF         SULFURIC ACID THAT WOULD BE HARMFUL IF SPILLED IS .5 TONS    BY REGULATION, THE POSSIBILITY OF THE 

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