Red Star Yeast in Cedar Rapids will pay $37,705 in civil penalties and purchase emergency response equipment for local responders to resolve alleged violations of the EPA Resource Conservation and Recovery Act.
According to a release from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Red Star Yeast generates large amounts of hazardous waste in its production of yeast for baking and industrial ethanol production, and failed to comply with regulations intended to prevent releases of hazardous waste, including:
- Storage of hazardous waste beyond 90 days without a required permit.
- Failure to keep a hazardous waste container closed.
- Failure to inspect hazardous waste containers.
- Failure to label hazardous wastes.
“The EPA is committed to protecting communities from harmful chemical waste releases and leveling the playing field for companies that comply with the law,” David Cozad, director of EPA Region 7’s Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Division, said in a release. “This settlement represents a win for the environment and the residents of Cedar Rapids and Linn County.”
In addition to the penalties, Red Star Yeast Company’s settlement with the EPA includes the purchase of protective suits and boots, a thermal imaging camera, chemical classifier strips, and hazardous waste containment systems to be donated to the Cedar Rapids Fire Department and Linn County Hazmat Team.
The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act creates the framework for the proper management of hazardous and non-hazardous solid waste.
