King Pharmaceuticals settles over plant emissions
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – King Pharmaceuticals LLC has agreed to pay $2.2 million and comply with the Clean Air Act to resolve a complaint filed by federal prosecutors over emissions from its Bristol, Tenn., facility.
The U.S. Department of Justice said Friday that half the settlement will go to the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation.
According to the complaint, the Bristol plant failed to properly operate an air pollution control device, which allowed hazardous air pollutants to be vented directly into the atmosphere from 2002 to 2006. The plant’s emission rate for methylene chloride well exceeded the limits allowed, the complaint said.
The settlement also requires the company to apply for a permit requiring additional air pollution controls and demonstrate compliance with federal law.
King parent Pfizer Inc. spokesman Steve Danehy said all underlying issues were corrected before or shortly after the company was acquired in 2010.
