Firestone Polymers settles ‘multiple environmental claims’ at synthetic rubber plant

Dallas, Texas – Firestone Polymers LLC has agreed to resolve alleged violations of the clean air act and “several other federal and state environmental laws’ at its synthetic rubber manufacturing facility in Sulphur, Lake Charles, Louisiana.

In a 30 Sept statement, the Louisiana department of environment quality (LDEQ) said the synthetic rubber manufacturer had agreed to pay a total of $3.35 million (€2.9 million) in civil penalties.

The settlement requires several actions from Firestone Polymers, including meeting emissions limits as well as operating and maintenance requirements, conducting equipment controls, and limiting hazardous air pollutants from facility dryers.

Furthermore, the US manufacturer should conduct inspections of heat exchangers, instal controls and monitors on covered flares, and add flaring instrumentation and monitoring systems. 

Since being notified of the violations, the company has taken other compliance measures, such as installing and operating a regenerative thermal oxidiser system to receive waste gases from dryers, reducing n-hexane solvent concentrations, and inspecting and testing heat exchangers, said LDEQ.

The complaint against Firestone Polymers was filed by the US department of justice on behalf of the environment protection agency (EPA) and co-plaintiff LDEQ.

It alleged that the facility emitted excess amounts of pollutants including nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds, particulate matter, sulphur dioxide, and hazardous air pollutants including 1,3-butadiene, n-hexane, styrene, formaldehyde, methanol, and others.

It also claimed that the facility failed to comply with requirements related to equipment such as dryers, cooling towers, and flares; leak detection and repair; mechanical integrity; and monitoring and reporting.  

Firestone Polymers, a wholly owned subsidiary of Bridgestone Corp., provides synthetic rubber products primarily for the tire industry.