Chemcentral Midwest Corporation of
The explosion occurred when Chemcentral workers were transferring "Indopol," a fuel additive used in sealants, coatings, lubricants, cling film and adhesives. Indopol is a trade name for polybutene.
EPA's investigation found that Chemcentral violated the Clean Air Act by failing to identify chemical hazards and failing to design and maintain a safe facility. EPA also found that Chemcentral violated the Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act by failing to submit a chemical inventory form for Indopol to the local emergency planning committee, the state emergency response commission, and the local fire department.
EPA filed the complaint in July 2007 for alleged violations at the industrial chemical distributor facility at
The cost recovery part of the settlement is subject to a public comment period of no less than 30 days. EPA may modify or withdraw its consent to the settlement if public comments disclose facts or considerations that indicate the settlement is inappropriate, improper or inadequate.
Region 7's on-scene coordinators and staff oversaw a large-scale response to the fire. EPA provided assistance to emergency responders and conducted extensive air monitoring, including deploying the agency's flying chemical detection system. EPA also took samples from locations outside of the site and at nearby schools.
