U.S. E.P.A. takes action against plumbing manufacturer for not providing toxic chemical information needed by 1st responders, community/ Champion-Arrowhead fined $16,000

LOS ANGELES - The E.P.A. has settled with El Monte, Calif.-based Champion-Arrowhead, LLC, for allegedly failing to submit toxic chemical reports detailing the amounts of copper, lead, and zinc compounds it processed, a violation of the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act.

The facility, located at 3141 Maxon Road, manufactured irrigation and plumbing products in 2005.

"The E.P.A. takes enforcing community right-to-know laws very seriously-this fine against Champion-Arrowhead, LLC, proves that," said Enrique Manzanilla, Communities and Ecosystems Division director for EPA's Pacific Southwest region. "Because exposure to high levels of copper, lead, and zinc compounds causes a wide range of illnesses and environmental damage, communities need to know if and when these chemicals have been released."

According to the EPA, in 2005, Champion-Arrowhead, LLC, processed over 408,000 pounds of copper compounds, over 29,000 pounds of lead compounds, and over 86,000 pounds of zinc compounds. The company failed to submit reports to the E.P.A. listing the amount, if any, of these processed chemicals released to the environment, as required by federal emergency planning regulations.

Each year the E.P.A. compiles the information submitted to it from the previous year regarding toxic chemical releases, producing a countrywide Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) database for public availability. The TRI database estimates the amounts of each toxic chemical released to the environment, treated or recycled on-site, or transferred off-site for waste management.

For more information on the TRI program, please visit http://www.epa.gov/tri. The EPA's TRI plan data, as well as other environmental databases, can be accessed at http://www.epa.gov/enviro.