On September 30, 2014, Region 1 forwarded a Clean Air Act (CAA) civil judicial referral to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) regarding Clean Rentals, Inc. (Clean Rentals) for violations of the CAA and the Massachusetts state air pollution control regulations. Clean Rentals operates an industrial laundry facility in New Bedford, Massachusetts and launders, among other things, solvent-laden shop towels. This type of laundering has the potential to emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs) over the major source threshold of 50 tons per year. Region 1 alleges that Clean Rentals failed to obtain a New Source Review (NSR) permit that included the Lowest Achievable Emissions Rate (LAER) and to obtain VOC offsets prior to installing and operating the washers and dryers at its facility. Region 1 also alleges that Clean Rentals failed to apply for and obtain a Title V operating permit for the facility. This action is expected to lead to a reduction in the emissions from the facility of VOCs and hazardous air pollutants, which have short- and long-term health effects on humans, and therefore reducing the exposure to the surrounding community
11/02/2017: Clean Rentals operates an industrial laundry facility in New Bedford, Massachusetts. In the process of laundering print, furniture and shop towels, this industrial laundry facility emits substantial amounts of uncontrolled volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Clean Rentals did not obtain a NSR permit addressing the VOC emissions