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Xerox Settles with EPA on Charges It Failed to Monitor Equipment for Air Emissions; Will Pay $74,000 and Certify It is Now in Compliance

Release Date: 07/30/2001
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(#01088) New York, N.Y. -- The Xerox Corporation of Webster, New York has settled with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on charges it failed to inspect tanks and monitor for air emissions from containers and equipment at its facility at 800 Phillips Road. The company has agreed to pay a penalty of $74,000, and will certify in writing to EPA that it is in compliance with all applicable regulations. In April 2001, EPA charged Xerox with several violations of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), the federal law that regulates how hazardous waste is managed. Xerox generates hazardous waste containing volatile organic compounds (VOCs) as part of its day-to-day manufacturing activities. Xerox uses a system of pipes to transport the waste within its facility, and tanks and containers to store the waste before it is disposed of or treated. Since VOCs are a group of chemicals that evaporate very easily into the air, can be harmful to humans, and play a major role in the formation of smog, EPA put procedures in place to ensure that tanks, containers and equipment carrying VOC waste do not release the chemicals into the air. The violations EPA charged include: failing to inspect three tanks to ensure that their roofs and closure devices had no defects that could allow pollutants to escape; failing to determine in a timely manner whether six containers used to store hazardous waste were releasing VOCs into the air; and not performing timely monitoring or leak detection tests on 176 valves and 11 pumps that are part of a system of pipes transporting hazardous waste at the facility. "Xerox’ settlement with us marks a major step forward in our efforts to address the problem of large companies failing to comply with VOC air emissions regulations," said William. J. Muszynski, EPA Acting Regional Administrator. "We look forward to Xerox’ compliance from now on, and hope that other companies that generate hazardous waste containing VOCs will take notice of our actions. We will be looking for their compliance, too." Xerox is required to pay the $74,000 by September 4, 2001, and will provide written certification to EPA that it is and will continue to be in compliance with all state and federal regulations regarding the management of hazardous wastes.