A Canadian paperboard maker must pay $118,000 for violating federal rules regarding public notification of its handling and storage of hazardous chemicals at its Sprague plant, authorities say.
Montreal-based Cascades Boxboard Group Inc. will pay a $78,000 civil penalty and spend $40,000 to upgrade the town of Sprague’s emergency-response equipment, according to the Boston regional office for the federal Environmental Protection Agency.
The action stems from Cascades’ failure to file proper chemical inventory documents with regulators regarding its storage of sulfuric acid in quantities that exceeded federal guidelines, the agency said.
These violations were discovered after EPA’s inspectors noticed the company, formerly Sprague Paperboard, had not submitted the forms for 2007.
In addition to buying equipment, Cascades must conduct a large-scale chemical spill exercise to gauge emergency preparedness and identify areas needing improvement, authorities said.
A Cascades spokeswoman acknowledged that a former employee failed to fill out the necessary forms and that the company is taking steps to stay in compliance.
