# KENNAMETAL, INC.
> **Judicial** · FY1994 · — · Final Order With Penalty
## Case
- **Activity ID:** `52487`
- **Case Number:** 09-1994-0019
- **Type:** Judicial
- **Lead:** EPA
- **Outcome:** Final Order With Penalty
- **Penalty assessed:** $425K
- **Cost recovery:** —
- **Compliance action $:** $1.00M
- **Multimedia (multi-env):** Y
## Defendants
- KENNAMETAL, INC. (complaint) (settlement)
## Summary

KENNAMETAL, INC. OWNS AND OPERATES A FACILITY NEAR         FALLON, NEVADA, WHICH USES A UNIQUE THERMIT KILN TO REFINE   TUNGSTEN MONOCARBIDE POWDER.  KENNAMETAL CHARGES THE KILN    WITH TUNGSTEN AND ALUMINUM BULLETS, RESULTING IN AN          EXOTHERMIC REACTION REACHING OVER 4000 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT    AND LASTING SOMEWHAT MORE THAN 1 HOUR.  DURING THE CHARGING, KENNAMETAL'S THERMIT KILN HAS VISIBLE EMISSIONS OF 100%      OPACITY AND EMITS SUBSTANTIAL LEVELS OF TOTAL SUSPENDED      PARTICULATE ( TSP ).  UNTIL LATE 1993, KENNAMETAL CHARGED    THE THERMIT KILN TWO TO FIVE TIMES PER MONTH.  IN EARLY      1994, KENNAMETAL REDUCED THE SIZE OF THE KILN BY 75% BUT     CHARGES IT MORE FREQUENTLY TO MAINTAIN PAST PRODUCTION       LEVELS.                                                        KENNAMETAL CONDUCTED SOURCE TESTING IN FEBRUARY 1994.      BASED ON THESE RESULTS, EPA HAS CALCULATED THAT KENNAMETAL'S FULL SIZED THERMIT KILN (PRIOR TO SIZE REDUCTION IN 1994)    WAS EMITTING TSP AT A RATE OF 938 LBS/HR DURING CHARGING.    THUS, KENNAMETAL HAS ALSO VIOLATED THE SIP'S TSP EMISSION    LIMIT.                                                         ON APRIL 13 AND 26, AND JULY 9, 1993, EPA RECEIVED         WRITTEN RESPONSES TO SECTION 114 LETTERS.  ON AUGUST 24,     1993, REPRESENTATIVES FROM EPA AND KENNAMETAL MET TO DISCUSS EPA'S NOTICE OF VIOLATION.  SHORTLY AFTER THE NOV CONFERENCE KENNAMETAL CONTACTED REGION 9 TO DISCUSS ITS PROPOSAL TO     TEST THE THERMIT KILN'S EXHAUST STREAM

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*Source: [EPA ECHO](https://echo.epa.gov/) · AI Analytics · CC0 1.0*