All News Releases By Date

EPA FINES TOMKINS INDUSTRIES, INC. $575,000 FOR AIR VIOLATIONS AT LASCO BATHWARE FACILITY

Release Date: 7/12/1999
Contact Information: Dave Schmidt, U.S. EPA, (415) 744-1578

     SAN FRANCISCO--The Environmental Protection Agency today announced it has fined Tomkins Industries, Inc. $575,000 for failing to install equipment to reduce air pollution from its Lasco Bathware, Inc. facility in Moapa, near Las Vegas, Nev. Following an agreement with EPA, the company has obtained a corrected permit from the Clark County Health District and has begun construction to install the necessary pollution controls at the Lasco facility.

     "Companies in the Las Vegas Valley must recognize their responsibility to protect air quality for the sake of Clark County residents' health," said Dave Howekamp, EPA regional Air Division director.

     Tomkins Industries violated the Clean Air Act by failing to install devices to reduce smog-forming volatile organic compound emissions (VOCs) from its Lasco Bathware manufacturing facility. The company is required to install pollution-reduction technology because the facility is a major source of VOCs in the Las Vegas Valley.   The Valley's air basin currently meets air quality standards for ozone. The company must apply the controls, however, to help the area continue to meet clean air standards.   VOCs are a precursor in the production of ground-level ozone, better known as smog.  

     Tomkins has begun installing the necessary equipment to reduce VOC emissions.  In addition, Tomkins has agreed to construct and operate only one of the two production lines that had been planned for the Lasco facility, to ensure that all of the plant's VOC emissions will be controlled.  When it is fully operational, the pollution control technology  will reduce VOC emissions from the Lasco facility by about 96%.