EPA Gets $26 Million From Chemtura

Chemtura has settled with EPA and the Department of Justice for $26 million to cover penalties and costs of environmental cleanup at 17 sites owned by the specialty chemicals maker across 15 states throughout the country. The settlement includes $785,000 in penalties under the Clean Air Act and the Clean Water Act resulting from a May 2004 fire at the company’s Bio-Lab facility in Conyers, Ga. More than $8 million of the cash settlement will go to environmental cleanup and restoration work at the Diamond Alkali Superfund site in the lower Passaic River area of New Jersey. Chemtura and 26 affiliates filed for bankruptcy on March 18, 2009. This settlement agreement, filed on Aug. 24, will be lodged with the bankruptcy court for 15 days for public comment before going into effect.