NC chemical maker to pay $130K EPA fine for storage violations

CONWAY — A Northampton County chemical manufacturer will pay a $130,000 civil fine to resolve allegations it violated state and federal laws governing the handling and storage of hazardous waste.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced Friday it had reached a settlement agreement with Bakelite Chemicals, LLC of Conway, to resolve the allegations.

According to an EPA press release, the agency’s representatives, accompanied by inspectors from the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality, conducted a compliance evaluation inspection at Bakelite’s plant facility in March 2023.

During the inspection, the EPA observed “several potential violations of state and federal hazardous waste laws relating to the company’s management of hazardous waste in containers and tanks,” the release states.

Under its settlement agreement, Bakelite has agreed to pay the $130,000 civil penalty and certified that it has corrected any alleged noncompliance, the EPA said.

“The proper management of hazardous waste is critical to the health of workers, to neighbors, and to the environment,” said Keriema Newman, director of the Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Division of the EPA’s Southeast Region. “Hazardous waste generators are responsible for ensuring that they comply with applicable state and federal requirements for the wastes that they generate.”