Earthgrains Fined $5.25 Million For Ozone Violations

Earthgrains will pay a $5.25 million civil penalty to settle violations of ozone-protection regulations of the Clean Air Act. The settlement, jointly announced last week by the Department of Justice and Environmental Protection Agency, also requires Earthgrains to convert industrial appliances to non-ozone-depleting refrigerant systems. The Earthgrains Co., which was purchased by consumer products maker Sara Lee Corp., Chicago, during the course of the government investigation in 2001, was charged with exceeding permitted levels of leaking refrigerants at 57 facilities and failing to make proper repairs, according to a statement by the U.S. government agencies. More than 300 refrigerant-containing appliances were involved in the investigation, the EPA reported.