The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Justice reached the first nationwide settlement of a Clean Air Act enforcement action for violations of the federal standards for ethylene oxide emissions from sterilization facilities. Cosmed Group, Inc., (Cosmed), headquartered in Jamestown, R.I., which sterilizes products for the food and medical industries, will pay a $500,000 civil penalty and spend an additional $1 million to perform supplemental environmental projects that will improve air quality in urban areas. EPA investigations found violations of ethylene oxide MACT requirements at six of the eight sterilization facilities in Rhode Island, New Jersey, Maryland, Illinois, Texas, and California. Under the consent decree lodged Aug. 18, 2005, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island, Cosmed also will complete environmental audits at all eight of its current and former facilities and establish an environmental management system that will help ensure that the company fully complies with environmental regulations in the future at its three remaining facilities.

For additional information, contact:

Charlie Garlow
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (2242A)
1200 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.
Washington, DC 20460-0001
(202) 564-1088
garlow.charlie@epa.gov