The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) and Northern Metals, Minneapolis, have reached an agreement that resolves alleged violations of air quality rules by the company. The company was fined $15,000 and is required to complete corrective actions.
In a release, the MPCA says performance tests conducted by the agency this past December showed that Northern Metals’ Minneapolis auto shredding facility exceeded air emissions limits for airborne particles. Total particulate matter exceeded the permitted limit by 204 percent, and mercury emissions exceeded the permitted limit by 32 percent. The MPCA says Northern Metals has submitted a plan that will ensure compliance with emissions limits.
The MPCA says a stipulation agreement is used by companies to achieve compliance with environmental laws. When calculating penalties, the MPCA says it takes into account how seriously the violation affected the environment, whether it is a first time or repeat violation and how promptly the violation was reported to appropriate authorities. The agreement also attempts to recover the calculated economic benefit gained by failure to comply with environmental laws in a timely manner.
Under terms of the agreement, Northern Metals agreed to submit a compliance plan providing detailed summary of the corrective actions or procedural changes that have been made or will be made, which will be applied consistently and which will, when properly executed, ensure that emission unit EU001 will demonstrate compliance at all times with applicable emission limits and capture, removal, or destruction efficiency requirements.
The company completed the requirement.
The company completed the requirement.
The company also is required to conduct follow-up performance testing for mercury and will include submittal of a test plan, completion of a pre-test meeting, and submittal of a final test report to MPCA no later than 45 days after completion of performance testing.
A comprehensive list of enforcement actions by the MPCA is available at www.pca.state.mn.us/newscenter/enforcement.html.