Chemical company fined $75K by EPA after a ruptured transfer hose leads to a 5,000-gallon sulfuric acid spill
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Roberts Chemical Company, Inc. will have to pay $74,914 in penalties to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for violating the Clean Air Act General Duty Clause. The facility, located in Massachusetts, repackages and stores multiple chemicals that are supplied via tanker truck or railcar. The plant handles several "extremely hazardous substances," as defined by the General Duty Clause. This includes sulfuric acid, nitric acid, aqueous ammonia, and cyanides. The inciting incident occurred when a transfer hose ruptured, causing 5,000 gallons of sulfuric acid to be spilled.
In a recent quote, EPA New England Regional Administrator David W. Cash said, "Hazardous chemicals need to be clearly labeled, and safely explained, stored, and moved to ensure the safety of workers, families in the area, and emergency responders if accidents occur. We don't roll the dice on protecting public health and the environment. One lesson from this case is that companies transferring extremely hazardous chemicals should have excellent hose maintenance programs. In this case, approximately 5,000-gallons of sulfuric acid spilled from a ruptured transfer hose while a tank railcar was being unloaded."
About the Author
Alexis GajewskiAlexis Gajewski
Senior Content Strategist
Alexis Gajewski is a manufacturing writer and editor with nearly 20 years of experience covering the people, practices, and technologies that keep industrial facilities running. For more than a decade, she served as Senior Content Strategist for Plant Services, creating content for plant managers, engineers, and maintenance professionals on a variety of industrial topics.
During her tenure, Alexis worked to develop the brand’s digital strategy and helped launch and produce Great Question: A Manufacturing Podcast. She also created The Lighter Side of Manufacturing, a weekly blog that explored the inventive and sometimes humorous side of the industry.
Alexis co-founded Influential Women in Manufacturing, a recognition program that honored 49 women in its first two years, earned an industry award for Best Product Launch, and received a proclamation from Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and a commendation from U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth.
She also led newsroom operations and development at a large media company where she set editorial standards, developed training curriculum, and helped support AI adoption for more than 150 editors across 80+ brands spanning manufacturing, industrial processing, automation, and more.
Additionally, Alexis works as a freelance writer and editor, and her areas of interest include continuous improvement, the skilled workforce, and the role of emerging technology on the plant floor.
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