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Pepsi-Cola to Pay EPA Fine, Implement Project

March 29, 2000

EPA Region 5 recently reached an agreement with Pepsi-Cola General Bottlers Inc., Cincinnati, Ohio, for violating Federal laws on the reporting of hazardous chemicals.

EHS Today Staff

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 5 recently reached an agreement with Pepsi-Cola General Bottlers Inc., Cincinnati, Ohio, for violating Federal laws on the reporting of hazardous chemicals.

The company has agreed to pay a $12,465 fine and complete environmental projects totaling $65,000.

The fines come as a result of a release that occurred during a September 1998 fork lift accident at the plant.

A driver hit the supply line to a ferric sulfate tank causing a release of ferric sulfate.

Pepsi-Cola reported a 38,050 pound release. The reporting minimum for ferric sulfate is 1,000 pounds.

The facility was evacuated for more than two hours, and three employees were injured while attempting to control the release.

As its environmental projects, Pepsi-Cola will install an open-top concrete secondary containment around its ferric sulfate tank that will prevent future releases of ferric sulfate into the environment.

It will also upgrade the control system and install an alarm on the ammonia refrigeration system used for cooling raw materials and products.

Since 1989, EPA Region 5 has filed 218 complaints for hazardous chemical violations, resulting in 205 settlements worth $4.87 million in total fines and $3.08 million in environmental projects.

About the Author

EHS Today Staff

EHS Today's editorial staff includes:

Dave Blanchard, Editor-in-Chief: During his career Dave has led the editorial management of many of Endeavor Business Media's best-known brands, including IndustryWeek, EHS Today, Material Handling & Logistics, Logistics Today, Supply Chain Technology News, and Business Finance. In addition, he serves as senior content director of the annual Safety Leadership Conference. With over 30 years of B2B media experience, Dave literally wrote the book on supply chain management, Supply Chain Management Best Practices (John Wiley & Sons, 2021), which has been translated into several languages and is currently in its third edition. He is a frequent speaker and moderator at major trade shows and conferences, and has won numerous awards for writing and editing. He is a voting member of the jury of the Logistics Hall of Fame, and is a graduate of Northern Illinois University.

Adrienne Selko, Senior Editor: In addition to her roles with EHS Today and the Safety Leadership Conference, Adrienne is also a senior editor at IndustryWeek and has written about many topics, with her current focus on workforce development strategies. She is also a senior editor at Material Handling & Logistics. Previously she was in corporate communications at a medical manufacturing company as well as a large regional bank. She is the author of Do I Have to Wear Garlic Around My Neck?, which made the Cleveland Plain Dealer's best sellers list.

Nicole Stempak, Managing Editor: Nicole Stempak is managing editor of EHS Today and conference content manager of the Safety Leadership Conference.