On September 30, 2008, Region 5 filed a Consent Agreement Final Order (CAFO) that simultaneously commenced and concluded a hazardous waste enforcement action against the Mueller Brass Company. The CAFO alleges that Mueller failed to have tank integrity assessments and leak detection on two generator hazardous waste accumulation tank systems; failed to perform daily inspections on the two tanks systems; and stored hazardous waste for more than 90 days in one tank system, therefore operating a Storage Facility without a permit. The violations were identified during March 2006 Multimedia Inspection of the facility and subsequent information requests.
The CAFO settlement includes a $110,000 penalty, a $550,000 Supplemental Environmental Project (SEP), and closure of the tank system that stored more than 90 days. The SEP involves the installation of further wastewater treatment equipment that allows for the onsite reuse of the treated water. The SEP is projected to reduce water use and discharge by 22 million gallons each year and the reduction of hundreds of pounds of metals that were previously discharged to the sewer system of Port Huron.