Delaware News

DNREC Issues Croda NOV for Air Quality Permit Violations

Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control | Division of Air Quality | Date Posted: Thursday, November 12, 2020



Information Session on Path Forward for EO Plant Set for Thursday, Nov. 19

The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) has issued a Notice of Violation (NOV) to Croda, Inc. for air emission and equipment violations associated with the operation of the ethylene oxide (EO) plant at Croda’s Cherry Lane Facility near New Castle.

The violations include: connecting and routing an unpermitted source into an air pollution control device (scrubber); exceeding the annual emission limit for ethylene oxide at the scrubber; failure to meet the volatile organic compound (VOC) removal efficiency at the scrubber; and operation of an unpermitted source of ethylene oxide at the hotwell, which collects and condenses vapors from the purification and vacuum distillation of crude ethylene glycol. The violation notice can be found at http://www.dnrec.delaware.gov/Admin/Documents/croda-nov-20201111.pdf.

The violations at the EO plant outlined in the notice were discovered through a source testing event conducted Sept. 17 by the company and observed by DNREC staff. Croda submitted results of the testing to the Department in a report dated Oct. 5. Following receipt of the report, DNREC has been working to accurately quantify Croda’s emissions that resulted in the NOV issued by DNREC, as compared to the emissions Croda is allowed under conditions of its air permit for the EO plant. For example, while some fugitive emissions are associated with the hotwell, ethylene oxide was detected there during the stack test, and is not permitted at this location.

The ethylene oxide plant has not operated since the date of the test.

An NOV is the first step in a process that can lead to DNREC taking further enforcement actions. DNREC is currently working from its regulatory purview to determine the path forward for Croda’s resuming operations at the EO plant.

DNREC will hold a virtual information session at 6 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 19 to describe the violations and answer questions from the community nearby to the Croda facility. The public may join the video meeting via WebEx at https://stateofdelaware.webex.com/stateofdelaware/onstage/g.php?MTID=e4c89abf0bc79ce0f842c2b6e9d0eb72b with event number 173 655 4144 and password CrodaInfoSession, or to join by audio conference only, by calling 408-418-9388. Questions and comments from the public can also be sent to daqpermittinginfo@delaware.gov.

About DNREC
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control protects and manages the state’s natural resources, protects public health, provides outdoor recreational opportunities and educates Delawareans about the environment. The Division of Air Quality monitors and regulates all emissions to the air. For more information, visit the website and connect with DNREC on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn.

Media Contact: Nikki Lavoie, nikki.lavoie@delaware.gov, Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov

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DNREC Issues Croda NOV for Air Quality Permit Violations

Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control | Division of Air Quality | Date Posted: Thursday, November 12, 2020



Information Session on Path Forward for EO Plant Set for Thursday, Nov. 19

The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) has issued a Notice of Violation (NOV) to Croda, Inc. for air emission and equipment violations associated with the operation of the ethylene oxide (EO) plant at Croda’s Cherry Lane Facility near New Castle.

The violations include: connecting and routing an unpermitted source into an air pollution control device (scrubber); exceeding the annual emission limit for ethylene oxide at the scrubber; failure to meet the volatile organic compound (VOC) removal efficiency at the scrubber; and operation of an unpermitted source of ethylene oxide at the hotwell, which collects and condenses vapors from the purification and vacuum distillation of crude ethylene glycol. The violation notice can be found at http://www.dnrec.delaware.gov/Admin/Documents/croda-nov-20201111.pdf.

The violations at the EO plant outlined in the notice were discovered through a source testing event conducted Sept. 17 by the company and observed by DNREC staff. Croda submitted results of the testing to the Department in a report dated Oct. 5. Following receipt of the report, DNREC has been working to accurately quantify Croda’s emissions that resulted in the NOV issued by DNREC, as compared to the emissions Croda is allowed under conditions of its air permit for the EO plant. For example, while some fugitive emissions are associated with the hotwell, ethylene oxide was detected there during the stack test, and is not permitted at this location.

The ethylene oxide plant has not operated since the date of the test.

An NOV is the first step in a process that can lead to DNREC taking further enforcement actions. DNREC is currently working from its regulatory purview to determine the path forward for Croda’s resuming operations at the EO plant.

DNREC will hold a virtual information session at 6 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 19 to describe the violations and answer questions from the community nearby to the Croda facility. The public may join the video meeting via WebEx at https://stateofdelaware.webex.com/stateofdelaware/onstage/g.php?MTID=e4c89abf0bc79ce0f842c2b6e9d0eb72b with event number 173 655 4144 and password CrodaInfoSession, or to join by audio conference only, by calling 408-418-9388. Questions and comments from the public can also be sent to daqpermittinginfo@delaware.gov.

About DNREC
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control protects and manages the state’s natural resources, protects public health, provides outdoor recreational opportunities and educates Delawareans about the environment. The Division of Air Quality monitors and regulates all emissions to the air. For more information, visit the website and connect with DNREC on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn.

Media Contact: Nikki Lavoie, nikki.lavoie@delaware.gov, Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov

###

image_printPrint

Related Topics:  , , ,


Graphic that represents delaware news on a mobile phone

Keep up to date by receiving a daily digest email, around noon, of current news release posts from state agencies on news.delaware.gov.

Here you can subscribe to future news updates.