Mercury Marine signs agreement regarding clean-air violations
CHICAGO – U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 5 has reached an agreement with the Mercury Marine Division of Brunswick Corp. on alleged clean-air violations at the company’s secondary aluminum production facility that makes boat motors at W6250 Pioneer Road, Fond du Lac, Wis., the EPA reported in a recent statement.
Mercury Marine has agreed to complete three environmental projects to protect public health and to pay a $40,000 penalty.
“It’s important to remember that the violations involved improper testing, record-keeping and administrative tasks, and there was never any type of emissions failure,” stated a Mercury Marine spokesperson. “However, with that said, we understand the administrative side of the issue is equally important.”
For its first environmental project, Mercury Marine will install three vapor recovery systems at its Fond du Lac facilities and one vapor recovery system at its Oshkosh, Wis., plant at a cost of $27,500. For its second project, the company will install a vapor saver system costing $28,000 at its Fond du Lac facility, according to the EPA.
The third environmental project includes spending $107,750 for the purchase and installation of diesel oxidation catalysts on vehicles owned by Mercury Marine, the city of Fond du Lac, Fond du Lac County and other municipalities in the area.
The agreement resolves EPA allegations that Mercury Marine failed to comply with federal operating, planning, notification, reporting, testing and recordkeeping requirements for its Fond du Lac plant. Specifically, EPA said the company failed to do timely testing for dioxin and furan emissions.
There is evidence that dioxins may cause liver damage and probably cause cancer in humans, while furans may also cause cancer, according to the EPA.
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