Battery Company Faces $10,000/Day Fines for Overflows

Lime deposits inside the discharge pipe have shrunk the internal diameter, causing backups that overflow the system.

"Exide had previously committed to having the entire line cleaned by December 31, 2007," said Rachel Diamond, DEP's southcentral regional director. "That deadline has not been met."

Exide Technologies, with operations in more than 80 countries, one of the world's largest producers and recyclers of lead-acid batteries has its headquarters in Georgia. The Reading site, located at Nolan Street and Spring Valley Road, occupies approximately 50 acres. The facility currently manufactures and recycles lead batteries.

Four unpermitted discharges occurred between July 2006 and August 2007. After the last discharge, the department issued Exide a notice of violation requesting that the company submit a schedule to complete a line cleanout.

Exide responded that the pipe would be cleaned by the end of 2007. The department inspected the discharge line in February and found evidence of solids that indicated the line cleaning was not completed.

Under the order issued today, Exide must complete the line cleanout by March 10. If the company fails to comply with the order and causes an overflow of the line, the department may assess fines of up to $10,000 per day per violation.

DEP issued Exide a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System operating permit, effective January 1. As a condition of the permit, Exide is required to inspect all manholes in the discharge line from the wastewater treatment plant outfall to the City of Reading's storm sewer connection point on a monthly basis.

If evidence of solid deposits are found in any manhole or piping connected to the manhole, the solids must be removed within seven days. Exide has appealed the permit.

Copyright Environment News Service (ENS) 2008. All rights reserved.