Top Air Pollution Penalties

The South Coast Air Quality Management District has responsibility to control air pollution. It can seek court-imposed fines against polluters of from $25 to $25,000 a day based on such factors as the extent that emissions exceed legal limits, potential danger to the public, whether the violation was intentional, accidental or due to negligence and the company’s history of violations. These are the 10 top penalties in June: COMPANY: Griffith Micro Science Inc., Vernon TYPE OF BUSINESS: Medical equipment sterilizer PENALTY: $90,000 VIOLATION: Operating three sterilization systems simultaneously on various days; excessive ethylene oxide emissions. COMPANY: PTC Aerospace, Garden Grove TYPE OF BUSINESS: Chair and food tray assembler PENALTY: $45,000 VIOLATION: Failure to maintain daily records on adhesive and solvent use, contrary to permit conditions. COMPANY: One-Day Auto Painting Centers, Torrance TYPE OF BUSINESS: Auto paint and body shops PENALTY: $25,000 VIOLATION: At various locations: Operating a spray-painting booth and oven contrary to permit conditions; failure to keep daily usage records; operating spray-painting guns without permits; excessive hydrocarbons from coating and solvent use and from exposing materials in open containers. COMPANY: Grand Rapids Zimmerla Corp., Fontana TYPE OF BUSINESS: Display case manufacturer PENALTY: $17,150 VIOLATION: Excessive hydrocarbons from coating and solvent use in a spray-painting booth. COMPANY: Golden West Refining Co., Santa Fe Springs TYPE OF BUSINESS: Refinery PENALTY: $17,000 VIOLATION: Liquid leaks from several pumps; public nuisance violation due to gaseous odors. COMPANY: RexHall Industries, Saugus TYPE OF BUSINESS: Motor home manufacturer PENALTY: $15,000 VIOLATION: Failure to maintain daily usage records; installing and operating equipment without a valid permit; excessive hydrocarbons from spray-painting operation. COMPANY: J.D. Lincoln Inc., Costa Mesa TYPE OF BUSINESS: Adhesives manufacturer PENALTY: $10,000 VIOLATION: Excessive hydrocarbons from an adhesive mix used in a coating application. COMPANY: Kaiser International Corp., Berths 48-53, Port of Los Angeles, San Pedro TYPE OF BUSINESS: Petroleum coke storage facility PENALTY: $10,000 VIOLATION: Excessive visible dust emissions from a loading operation. COMPANY: California Acrylic Industries, Ontario TYPE OF BUSINESS: Spa manufacturer PENALTY: $8,500 VIOLATION: Excessive hydrocarbons from coating use in a spray-painting booth; failure to maintain daily usage records; failure to post the required permits. COMPANY: Greif Brothers Corp., La Palma TYPE OF BUSINESS: Metal drum manufacturer PENALTY: $7,500 VIOLATION: Excessive hydrocarbons from spray-painting operation. COMPANY: Waste King, Div. of Masco Building Production Corp., Los Angeles TYPE OF BUSINESS: Kitchen waste disposal manufacturer PENALTY: $7,500 VIOLATION: Excessive hydrocarbons; failure to maintain daily usage records for a varnish dip tank, spray-painting booth and oven.