| Biswo |
Posted
on 09-Dec-00 12:55 AM
BATTERY MAKER AGREES TO CLEAN UP LEAD POLLUTION
LAURELDALE, Pennsylvania, December 4, 2000 (ENS) - Two environmental groups
have settled their lawsuit against Exide Corporation, the world's largest
automotive battery manufacturer. The L.E.A.D. Group of Berks County, a local
nonprofit group, teamed up with the national Clean Water Action to sue the
company over environmental violations and lead contamination around its
Laureldale facility. The lawsuit alleged hundreds of violations of state and
federal environmental laws, including the Clean Air Act and the Clean Water
Act. As a result of the suit, an investigation by the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) confirmed that Exide and its subsidiary, General
Battery Corporation, contributed to the handling, storage, treatment and
disposal of solid and hazardous wastes which may present an "imminent and
substantial endangerment" to human health or the environment surrounding the
facility.
Under the terms of the settlement, Exide is required to:
Pay for the cleanup of the plaintiffs' contaminated properties and other
lead contaminated properties in the Laureldale area;
Comply with environmental laws and regulations;
Pay penalties for past violations and additional penalties for any future
violations;
Conduct a scientific study of its emissions and available emissions control
technologies;
Provide permanent replacement water supplies to families whose wells are
contaminated by lead;
Establish a program to study blood lead levels in children who live within
2500 feet of the facility, and pay for medical consultations and evaluations
for children with high blood lead levels.
"We are very pleased with the outcome of this case," said Nancy Tobias,
president of L.E.A.D. Group of Berks County. "The settlement of this
litigation means that we have accomplished what we set out to do - getting
the lead contamination in our community cleaned up and protecting area
children from toxic lead."
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