CHICAGO -- Aldi Inc. will pay a $23,150 civil penalty as part of a legal settlement stemming from an anhydrous ammonia release at its Dwight food warehouse.
The Aldi case was one of several settlements -- three in Illinois -- announced by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Thursday. The other Illinois cases in Alsip and Chicago Heights also involved releases of hazardous chemicals.
Aldi, which operates a refrigerated food warehouse in Dwight, was cited for failing to immediately report an anhydrous ammonia release on Aug. 22, 2005.
Anhydrous ammonia can cause skin burns and eye, nose and throat irritation. It can be fatal if inhaled for prolonged periods.
In addition to the civil penalty, Aldi agreed to complete a $23,150 environmental project and purchase additional emergency response equipment for the Dwight Fire Department.
The case in Alsip involved Hondo Inc., doing business as Coca-Cola Bottling of Chicago. Hondo paid a $10,478 civil penalty for failing to promptly report a release of anhydrous ammonia on March 20, 2006, in Alsip.
Alpharma Inc., an animal feed plant in Chicago Heights, paid a $5,000 cash penalty and will complete a $24,737 environmental project for late reporting of a release of sulfuric acid on Oct. 31, 2005, according to the EPA. Sulfuric acid can cause skin burns and eye, nose and throat irritation.
Detroit Edison's electrical power generation plant in River Rouge, Mich., paid a $52,333 civil penalty for failure to immediately report a release of sodium hydroxide on May 6, 2003.
The EPA also announced a new case involving Conserve FS Inc., doing business as Lake-Cook Farm Supply, in Kansasville, Wis. The EPA proposed a $80,596 civil penalty, citing a failure to promptly report a 1,055-pound release of anhydrous ammonia on Oct. 11, 2004.
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