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The EPA in April denied a petition to remove stationary combustion turbines from the list of sources subject to regulation for emissions of air toxics, maintaining public health protections for communities near these facilities. “The agency denied the joint petition filed in 2019 by groups including American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers and the American Petroleum […]
The Center for Biological Diversity (CBD) sharply criticized the EPA’s decision to retain the existing secondary standards for nitrogen oxides and particulate matter (PM) without revision. “The EPA failed to seize this important opportunity to better protect plants and animals from these toxic pollutants,” said Ryan Maher, CBD staff attorney, in the organization’s press release. […]
In an era dominated by technological advancements, artificial intelligence (AI) is set to transform how workplace safety is managed. Currently, a workplace injury occurs every six seconds and every 1.8 hours, a life is tragically lost due to workplace accidents. Despite these alarming statistics, the procedures for monitoring and reporting on workplace safety remain archaic, […]
On May 20, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued a final rule updating the agency’s Hazard Communication (HazCom) Standard (29 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) §1910.1200) to incorporate updates to the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS). The updated rule takes effect July 19 (89 Fed. Reg. 44144). The […]
The EPA recently announced a new Strategic Civil-Criminal Enforcement Policy, designed to achieve fairness in enforcement actions and ensure criminal enforcement is reserved for the “most egregious violations.” For many, the policy is long overdue. “The EPA’s determination of what facts justify criminal treatment has traditionally been inconsistent and dependent on local decision-making by regional […]
The EPA recently announced a proposed settlement with PPG Industries, Inc., to design and perform a $15.8 million cleanup at the Riverside Industrial Park Superfund site on the bank of the Passaic River in Newark, New Jersey. Under the proposed settlement, the company will also pay the $2.9 million the EPA previously spent at the […]
The EPA announced it has issued an emergency fuel waiver to allow E15 gasoline, or gasoline blended with 15% ethanol, to be sold during the summer driving season. “This action will provide communities with relief at the pump from ongoing market supply issues created by the ongoing war in Ukraine and conflict in the Middle […]
Last month, the EPA announced a final rule designating two polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) chemicals as hazardous substances under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA): PFAS are a group of manufactured chemicals that are also referred to as “forever chemicals” because of their resistance to breaking down in the environment over time. They’ve […]
Back to Basics is a weekly feature that highlights important but possibly overlooked information that any EHS professional should know. This week, we examine how to control and prevent the growth of Legionella bacteria in your water systems. Legionellosis, which can lead to Legionnaires’ disease and Pontiac Fever, is spread primarily through inhaling Legionella-contaminated, aerosolized water. […]
Chicago-area subcontractor K.L.F. Enterprises faces $392,002 in Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) fines for exposing its employees and others to asbestos during the structural demolition of a Waukegan, Illinois, hospital, the agency announced May 15. Agency investigators observed K.L.F. employees not wearing protective equipment amid piles of debris and steel I-beams during the structural […]