For Immediate Release
October 1, 2012 Contact:Jeff Tittel, Director, NJ Sierra Club, 609-558-9100
Millville Polluter Let Off the Hook
The Durand Glass Manufacturing Company Inc. has just signed a consent agreement to deal with its long standing environmental violations at its plant in Millville, New Jersey.They will install new emissions controls and pay a civil penalty after polluting our air for years.In response to the agreement the company reached with the EPA and DEP, Jeff Tittel, Director, NJ Sierra Club, issued the following statement in response:
"Durand was let off the hook with this consent decree.They will install equipement they have to install to meet their permits and the penalty they will pay is just a slap on the wrist.They did not even have to admit that they were guilty of any violations even though they have been polluting the air and breaking environmental laws for many years."
"This action does not take into account the impact to the people around the plant.People have been affected by pollution from the plant for many years.The DEP is patting itself on the back for getting a company that has been violating the Clean Air Act for actually following the law.Glass plants are a major source of pollution with volatile organic chemicals and other pollutants that are hazardous to human health."
-- Kate Millsaps Conservation Program Coordinator NJ Chapter of the Sierra Club 609-656-7612