The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has reached a settlement with Ampac Fine Chemicals, LLC for an amount of $69,879 after the chemical manufacturing company was found guilty of breaching legal requirements pertaining to hazardous waste management. The Hazardous Waste Law is a part of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act and the Ampac chemicals manufacturing, California was found wanting.

After conducting an examination at the Rancho Cordova facility, EPA inferred that the Ampac manufacturing facility did not:

• Perform calibration testing (Standardization process of an instrument)
• Mark ‘Air Emission Standards for Equipment Leaks’
• Develop plan to monitor valves which may prove unsafe during an inspection
• Separate hazardous wastes from non-hazardous wastes during accumulation
• Have a qualified engineer to evaluate existing tanks
• List emergency equipment capabilities in their contingency plan
• Label hazardous waste.

As a result of the above shortcomings of the pharma company, air emissions and hazardous waste can pose serious health risks to nearby communities. The EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator communicated that this settlement with Ampac Fine Chemicals, LLC will help in improving environmental conditions as well as the livelihood of workers and the community.