Air Resources Board fines 24 consumer products companies for air quality violations

Settlements generate $406,625 for pollution control
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For immediate release

Date
Release Number
14-68

Contacts

Melanie Turner
Public Information Office
melanie.turner@arb.ca.gov
(916) 322-2990

SACRAMENTO - The Air Resources Board today announced it has settled 24 cases in the first half of 2014 involving air quality violations by companies manufacturing or selling chemically formulated consumer products. The latest cases were each less than $100,000.

Consumer products regulated by ARB are used in homes and businesses and include detergents, polishes, cosmetics, personal care products, home and garden products, disinfectants and sanitizers. ARB regulates such products because they emit gases known as volatile organic compounds which contribute to smog.

“Sometimes we don’t realize that the products we use every day can affect the air we breathe,” said ARB Enforcement Chief James Ryden. “Reducing VOC emissions from consumer products is an important component of the air quality improvement equation.”

Products in the latest settlements ranged from nail polish removers and air fresheners to hair styling products and carpet cleaners. The violations resulted in an estimated 26 tons of excess VOC emissions.
 
Fines collected — a total of $406,625 — go to the California Air Pollution Control Fund to support air quality projects and research to improve the state’s air quality.

Among the 24 cases, the five companies paying the highest amounts were:

  • Big Lots (windshield washer fluids) — $81,000
  • SalonQuest LLC (hair styling products) — $50,750
  • Advanced Healthcare Distributors LLC (CVS) (hair styling products) — $45,000
  • Renpure (hair styling products) — $33,000
  • Ace Hardware Corp. and United Industries Corp. (joint settlement/crawling bug insecticide) — $26,600

The other 19 cases (23 companies) with fines totaling $143,275 were:

  • FTI Corp.
  • UMA Enterprises Inc.
  • Safeway (two cases)
  • Therm-O-Web Inc.
  • Marukai Corp.
  • Kmart Holding Corp. (Sears Holdings Corp.)
  • Advanced Healthcare Distributors (CVS), Atico International and Noah’s Naturals
  • Intertrade Europe North America Inc.
  • Valspar Corp.
  • Friedman’s Home Improvement
  • Delon Laboratories
  • Shining Monkey Corp.
  • Harmon Stores Inc. and Vi-Jon Inc.
  • PLZ Aeroscience Corp.
  • Technical Chemical Company
  • Lea Journo Cosmetique LLC
  • AFAM Concept Inc.
  • Gemini Packaging Ltd. and Stater Brothers

For more information about ARB’s consumer products regulations, click here.

CARB is the lead agency in California for cleaning up the air and fighting climate change to attain and maintain health-based air quality standards. Its mission is to promote and protect public health, welfare, and ecological resources through the effective reduction of air and climate pollutants while recognizing and considering effects on the economy.