Regulatory Actions Archive

Reportable Releases

January 2012 – Starkville Plant – Less than 50 gallons of process cooling water were released from a manhole onto the pavement due to an unusually large return volume of process water into the return tank. This water did not appear to reach a waterway; however, the State was notified. The high-level alarm that was supposed to alert Maintenance did not work. Measures to provide additional return water capacity and alarm teseting are being implemented to avoid a recurrence.

November 2011 – Carrollton Building Wire Plant – A process water make-up valve was inadvertently left open while the plant was shut down for the Thanksgiving holidays. Upon restart of the plant, the process water pumps were energized restoring flow to the subject valve. The open valve went unnoticed resulting in an overflow onto the plant floor and eventually an unpermitted discharge of approximately 25-50 gallons to Buffalo Creek. The material was process water contaminated with soluble oil. Preventive measures are being employed to reduce the likeliness of a similar event occurring in the future.

September 2011 – Carrollton Building Wire Plant – During a heavy rainfall event, storm water volume exceeded the facility’s wastewater collection system pumping capacity resulting in a overflow discharge of approximately 20 gallons to Buffalo Creek. Absorbent booms were deployed across the creek, and an industrial cleaning vendor vacuumed oil sheen at the booms. An investigation has been initiated to prevent a future occurrence.

August 2011 – Starkville Plant – Approximately 120 gallons of process cooling water were discharged to a tributary of Glen Creek due to a plugged screen on a cooling tower. The cause of the overflow has been corrected, and additional preventative measures are being implemented to avoid a recurrence.

October 2009 – A forklift spilled 350 gallons of wastewater onto pavement at our Watkinsville plant. The spill was fully contained and cleaned up.

Southwire reported the following releases in September 2009 as the result of a 500 year flood event at our Carrollton, Georgia facilities:

September 2009 —Release of 500,000 gallons of process cooling water and 20 gallons of plasticizer and lube oil

September 2009 —Process water leak due to flood (300 gallons discharged) -

September 2009 —A spill of approximately 25 gallons of diesel fuel from a mobile air compressor following the flood. It is estimated that less than 1 gallon of fuel reached surface water. -

Southwire reported two incidents that were both related to dry weather discharges into Buffalo Creek at Southwire’s Carrollton, GA building wire plant:

August 2008 —Process water leak due to damaged water pipe (100 gallons discharged)—$4,000 fine -

November 2008 —Process water leak due to flexible hose failure (5000 gallons discharged)—$4,000 fine -

April 2009 - Release of approx 20 gallons of copper drawing solution from a damaged container of copper filter paper.

March 2009 - Our Carrollton building wire plant discharged approx 150 gallons of process cooling water to Buffalo Creek due to blockage of a drain line.

February 2009 - The Southwire Carrollton building wire plant discharged approx 2500 gallons of process cooling water to Buffalo Creek due to overflow of a drain line.

January 2009 - Our Stouffville, Canada plant spilled 1050 liters (~280 gallons) of plasticizer onto pavement. The majority of the plasticizer was recovered.

Letters of Noncompliance (LON), Notices of Violation (NOV), etc.

February 2008 —At Carrollton, GA, A LON was received for pressure drop readings outside the acceptable range on a blast booth. No penalty was issued.

July 2008 —At Heflin, AL, A NOV was issued for an X-ray unit serial number that did not match the permit; the appropriate paperwork has been updated. No penalty was issued.

An older NOV, dating back to February 2006—At Hawesville, KY, several items that were not in compliance with requirements of the Secondary Aluminum National Emissions Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants under the Clean Air Act have now been resolved, and a settlement was reached with both the EPA and the State of Kentucky for a total fine of $337,500.

August 2009 - The Southwire Carrollton, GA copper rod operation received an NOV for a delay in formally notifying of a groundwater seep.

June 2010 - Southwire's Carrollton, GA machines services group received an air permit NOV for exceeding the VOC content limit for paint used in the facility's paint booth. No monetary penalty was issued.

June 2010 - Received request from GA EPD to conduct additional sampling and analysis at a past remediation site on Stripling Chapel Road. Southwire conducted the sampling and analysis as requested and submitted a report to GA EPD in January 2011.

March 2011 - Southwire's Carrollton, GA Building Wire Plant and MC Plant each received an air permit NOV for failure to perform required extruder pellet hopper inspections in December 2010. No monetary penalty was issued.

July 2011 - Southwire's Douglas, GA manufacturing plant received a RCRA NOV for not having a waste determination for seven (7) lead-acid batteries. Appropriate documentation was subsequently provided to GA EPD demonstrating that the batteries are reclained in accordance with 40 CFR 266.80. No monetary penalty was issued.