Hamilton County Serves the Notices & Ohio EPA Cracks Down on Local Polluter

US EPA reports that due to the seriousness of the violations, Cognis has been considered a high priority violator of the federal Clean Air Act for years.  Notices of Violation ("NOV") have been issued over the years for multiple sources.  

The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (“Ohio EPA”) has found that Cognis, a chemical manufacturer located along Este Avenue in Winton Place, has violated Ohio environmental law protecting our air quality.  Since 2002, Cognis has received 9 notices of violation from the state for environmental infractions including one notice for that memorable incident in March 2006 where thick black smoke billowing from a boiler triggered 50 citizen complaints.  Cognis failure to control the emissions of organic compounds is a serious matter for Hamilton County and its residents because some organic compounds contribute to smog formation, some are toxic, and some carry a strong offensive odor.  Hamilton County has levels of smog and fine particulate matter in the air which exceed federal limits so violations of organic compound and particulate matter limits are a serious matter because human health is at risk along with our ability to attract new businesses.  So, on December 29, 2006, Ohio EPA imposed administrative fines and orders.       

Cognis was ordered to come into compliance with their emissions limits on three of their onsite pollution sources within 90 days of the order and to prove

Text Box: Crackdown page 6 Text Box: compliance with a stack test of the emissions monitored by county &/or state authorities. Cognis must also Ohio EPA found that Between 2001 & 2006, Cognis failed to: conduct timely stack tests for emissions; comply with organic compound emission limits for two air pollution sources. Control organic compound emission control requirements from four units; Monitor and maintain records of landfill gas burned onsite for its sulfur content; Limit particulate emissions for two air pollution sources; Monitor and record daily the operational parameters for the air pollution control equipment, the baghouse, for the company’s coal handling system, & Promptly correct a malfunctioning boiler that generated thick black smoke (exceeding so-called “opacity limits”) Text Box: Conduct timely stack tests for emissions; Comply with organic compound emission limits for two air pollution sources. Oxidizer Inspection Findings: missing gaskets, displaced ceramic filters, clogged filters, holes in the chamber,

submit a complete preventative maintenance and malfunction abatement plan for its problem catalytic oxidizers which control emissions similar to an automobile catalytic converter.  Cognis’ oxidizers were originally installed in 1991 to abate nuisance odors in the neighborhood but apparently they have not been maintained.  (see sidebar)

 

Cognis was assessed penalties totaling $310,000 as follows:

 

1. A $228,000 fine to the State of Ohio,

2. A $62,000 contribution to Ohio EPA’s Clean Diesel School Bus Program,

3. A $20,000 Pollution Prevention Study including a cost   evaluation, a feasibility analysis, and a discussion of

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