In the largest civil penalty the Environmental Protection Agency has collected, DuPont Co. has agreed to pay $10.25 million to settle alleged violations of federal environmental law. Under the agreement, which EPA and DuPont announced on Dec. 14, the company also will spend $6.25 million on scientific and educational programs.
The settlement deals with alleged violations of the Toxic Substances Control Act and Resource Conservation and Recovery Act concerning perfluorooctanoic acid. PFOA is used in making fluoropolymers including some Teflon products, at DuPonts Washington Works plant in Washington, W.Va.
DuPont said that the settlement "closes the matter" for the company "without any admission of liability."
Granta Y. Nakayama, EPAs assistant administrator for enforcement and compliance assurance, said, "This is the largest civil administrative penalty EPA has ever obtained under any environmental statute. Not by a little, by a lot."
If approved by EPAs Environmental Appeals Board, the agreement would resolve eight alleged violations, with seven of those counts involving TSCAs mandate that companies report risk information to EPA about chemicals they make, process or distribute.
DuPont Senior Vice President and General Counsel Stacey Mobley said, "Our interpretation of the reporting requirements differed from the agencys. The settlement allows us to put this matter behind us and move forward."
