News Releases from Region 05

EPA Settles with BWAY Corp. in Chicago

Company will upgrade air pollution controls at South Side facility, pay $140,000 penalty

CHICAGO (October 2, 2019) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced a settlement requiring BWAY Corp. to upgrade air pollution control equipment to reduce air emissions at the company’s Chicago facility, which will help to protect the environment and public health in the surrounding area. The company has also agreed to pay a $140,000 civil penalty to resolve alleged violations of the Clean Air Act.

BWAY Corp. owns and operates a steel can manufacturing facility at 3200 S. Kilbourn in Chicago. During an inspection of the facility, EPA used an infrared camera to discover Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) emissions escaping from pollution control equipment. VOCs include a variety of chemicals, some of which may have harmful health effects. EPA alleged BWAY was violating the Clean Air Act’s National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for Surface Coating of Metal Cans.

EPA’s Administrative Consent Order (ACO) and Consent Agreement and Final Order (CAFO) with BWAY announced today resolve the alleged violations and require the company to upgrade emission control equipment to ensure future compliance. The ACO requires BWAY to add and improve ductwork and install a blower to help capture emissions, which will result in a reduction of VOC emissions from the facility. BWAY must also conduct testing to demonstrate the effectiveness of these improvements. The CAFO requires BWAY to pay a civil penalty of $140,000.

For more information about the Clean Air Act: https://19january2021snapshot.epa.gov/clean-air-act-overview

To search for environmental and compliance data about facilities: https://echo.epa.gov/