The Respondent owns an alkoxylation process at the Facility. Respondent manufactures a range of specialty surfactants for use predominantly in the oil and gas industry. The process of ethoxylation involves reacting ethylene oxide with various common chemicals , such as fatty alcohols and phenols, to produce a variety of products. The plant can also use propylene oxide instead of (or as well as) ethylene oxide in a similar process known as “propoxylation.” Respondent has greater than threshold quantities of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide, in a process at the Facility, meeting the definition of “covered process ” as defined by 40 C.F.R. ยง 68.3.
EPA Findings of Violation