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EPA Fines California Hot Tub Manufacturer for Toxic Chemical Release Reporting Violations

Release Date: 8/11/2003
Contact Information: Mark Merchant, (415) 947-4297

SAN FRANCISCO -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today fined a hot tub manufacturer $21,250 for failing to report the amount of toxic chemicals it processes at its Anderson, Calif. facility, a violation of federal emergency planning and community right-to-know laws.

Phoenix Spas Corp. failed to submit timely, complete and correct reports indicating the amount of styrene and diisocyanates processed at its plant in 1999, 2000 and 2001. The facility processes styrene and diisocyanates in its hot tub manufacturing operations. Styrene is a suspected carcinogen, and diisocyanates are suspected respiratory hazards.

EPA inspectors discovered the violations during a routine inspection in 2002.

"Facilities that use, store and release hazardous chemicals owe it to the neighboring community and their employees to inform the EPA and the state of their chemical releases and transfers," said Enrique Manzanilla, the EPA's Cross Media Division director for the Pacific Southwest. "This penalty should remind others that we are maintaining a close watch over chemical reporting practices and are serious about enforcing community right-to-know laws."

Federal law requires certain facilities using chemicals over certain amounts to file annual reports of chemical releases with the EPA and the state. The reports estimate the amounts of each toxic chemical released to the environment, treated or recycled on-site, or transferred off-site for waste management. Information is then compiled into a national database and made available to the public.

Each year the EPA publishes the Toxic Release Inventory, which summarizes the prior year’s submissions and provides detailed trend analysis of toxic chemical releases.

For more information on the program, call (800) 424-9346 or visit: https://www.epa.gov/tri. The U.S. EPA’s environmental databases, including TRI data, can be accessed at: https://www.epa.gov/enviro.