BLUE RIDGE ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE LEAGUE
PO Box 88 ~ Glendale Springs, North Carolina 28629 ~ Phone (336) 982-2691 ~ Fax (336) 982-2954 ~ Email: BREDL@skybest.com

PRESS RELEASE

IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Denise Lee

September 21, 1999

NC FINES CAROLINA SOLITE

Yesterday the NC Division of Waste Management signed a Compliance Order with Administrative Penalty for Carolina Solite of $52,499.00

The fines assessed included violations for failing to mark hazardous waste control piping which the state emphasized as "posing potential risk to the employees and state regulators who come in contact with the equipment."  The events occurred on March 18, April 28 and June 14, 1999.

Solite was issued a combined Notice of Violation for fugitive emissions occurring on January 6, 13 and 16, 1999.  Solite has a long history of noncompliance with fugitive emissions.  In the past a State official observed holes in the equipment plugged with bottle caps and rags.  Multiple violations were issued for Solite on March 25, 1996, after several incidents of fugitive emissions.

Denise Lee, who lives within ten miles of the smokestacks and who works for the Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League, said, "It is appalling that human life is valued so low. If you divide the amount of the fine, times the lives that could have been impacted, life has no value for employees or citizens living in the affected communities."

Although BREDL and other community groups praise the state for taking any action against Carolina Solite, they remain disappointed that the long history of violations and the as yet undetermined health impacts on nearby communities has been so long ignored.    BREDL has requested that the US Environmental Protection Agency intervene to secure adequate air pollution monitoring and a real health risk assessment. 

The Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League has taken steps to provide training to residents living near Carolina Solite and other large air pollution sources to conduct their own testing of air poisons.  On October 29, 30 and 31, 1999 BREDL and the EM-POWER! Project of Communities for a Better Environment of California will host a 3 day training called the Bucket Brigade which will empower people to find out for themselves what toxins they and their families are breathing.  The EPA recognizes the Bucket Brigade as a reliable air pollution test program.