EPA issues a Consent Agreement and Final Order (CAFO) and an Administrative Consent Order (ACO) to Afton Chemical Corporation in Sauget, Illinois. Afton is a specialty chemical manufacturer that had been operating one of its flares improperly, which led to excess emissions of VOC and HAP. Specifically, Afton failed to meet the heating value minimum of 300 BTU/scf for flares, and to follow the manufacturer?s and generally available literature relating to steam use, thereby failing to use good air pollution control practices to minimize emissions. These two requirements apply to Afton via the NSPS for Tanks, Subpart Kb, and by the Illinois SIP relating to synthetic organic chemical manufacturers (SOCMI). The Title V permit incorporates both of these provisions. EPA issued a Notice and Finding of Violation to Afton for these violations on February 3, 2012.
Afton agreed to a compliance plan that will require they spend approximately $120,000 to install new flare monitoring equipment. Afton will utilize the new flare operating parameters of Net Heating Value in the Combustion Zone, and Steam to Vent Gas ratio, and apply to the state for incorporation of these parameter limits into permits. Afton will pay a penalty of $168,000. The facility in Sauget, IL, is in an EJ area with an EJSEAT ranking of 1. This settlement will reduce emissions by approximately 114 TPY of VOC and 2.5 TPY of carbon disulfide, a HAP.