The Alabama Department of Environmental Management (“ADEM”) and Kronospan, LLC (“Kronospan”) entered into a May 28th Consent Order (“Order”) addressing an alleged violation of the Alabama Air regulations. See Consent Order No. 25-XXX-CAP.
The CO provides that Kronospan operates a medium density fiberboard and particle board facility in Calhoun County, Alabama. The facility is stated to include a Thermal Oil Heater (“K4") pursuant to the authority of Air Permit and Major Source Operating Permit.
Kronospan personnel are stated to have notified the Air Division at ADEM on December 17, 2024, of the exceedance of the Carbon Monoxide (“CO”) emission limit listed in stipulation 5 in the Order. On February 1st, Kronospan personnel notified the Air Division that the CO 30-day rolling average for K4 was below the emission limit.
The February 1st letter provided to ADEM is stated to have indicated that the facility operated the K4 process for 40 operational days, of 30-day rolling averages, during which the process failed comply with the CO emission limit stated in stipulation 5 in the Order.
In response to a Notice of Violation, Kronospan explained the increase in CO readings was the result of a low combustion chamber temperature operation.
Kronospan neither admits nor denies ADEM’s contentions.
A civil penalty of $80,000.00 is assessed.
A copy of the Order can be downloaded here.
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