ILLINOIS COMPANY TO PAY A CIVIL PENALTY
Stephenson Service Co., based in Freeport, Illinois, has been ordered to pay a civil penalty of $10,421 and purchase four safety suits and gloves, valued at $10,000, for the Stephenson and Jo Davies county fire departments.
The case, brought by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 5, involved a hazardous chemical release of anhydrous ammonia, which is commonly used in commercial refrigeration systems and as fertilizer. Stephenson Service failed to immediately notify the National Response Center and state emergency response commissions after unintentionally releasing 2,797 pounds of the chemical during a truck accident. Anhydrous ammonia causes burns to the skin and irritation to the eyes, nose and throat, and my be fatal if inhaled for long periods of time.
Failure to report the release can lead to civil penalties because the National Response Center activates the appropriate response authorities. According to the EPA, the responders need to know what they're dealing with so they can take steps to protect people living and working in the area.
