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U.S. EPA orders Nevada-based Oakley, Inc. to comply with wastewater rules

Release Date: 10/5/2005
Contact Information: Francisco Arcaute, (213) 244-1815, Cell: (213) 798-1404

Firm must limit discharges, begin self-monitoring and reporting or face fines

LOS ANGELES - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has ordered Nevada-based eyeglass company Oakley, Inc., to limit its wastewater discharge and establish a self-monitoring plan to correct violations of the Clean Water Act.

Oakley, Inc. owns and operates a titanium eyeglass frames manufacturing plant at 95 Lakes Boulevard in Dayton, Nev., near Carson City.

"Solvent chemicals released into sewers have the potential to affect the health and safety of sewer workers and people living in the surrounding community--small communities like Dayton are particularly at risk," said Alexis Strauss, director of the water division of the EPA. "Industries, such as Oakley, Inc. must do their part to protect the local sewer systems from the harmful effects of industrial discharges."

In June 2005, authorities from Lyon County turned to the EPA to help find - and stop - the source of solvent fumes venting from the County sewers, as well as determine the cause of the cloudy white wastewaters found in the local sewage treatment ponds.

Later that month, representatives from the State of Nevada, Lyon County and the EPA inspected the Oakley, Inc. plant where they discovered manufacturing processes that discharged solvents and white slurries to the sewers, violating local, state and federal wastewater regulations.

The EPA has ordered Oakley, Inc. to begin monitoring its discharges and reporting results. The EPA is assisting Lyon County in the development of its own capabilities to regulate and monitor industrial users of the local sewers.

Failure to comply with the EPA order could result in fines of up to $32,500 per day per violation.

For more information on the EPA's Water Pretreatment program, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/region09/water/pretreatment/index.html

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