Bayer CropScience has agreed to pay fines and allocate money to improve its response to chemical accidents at its pesticide manufacturing plant in Kansas City, Missouri. The Environmental Protection Agency says that Bayer CropScience will pay nearly $40,000 in fines and spend another $100,000 to correct, prevent and respond to chemical accidents and releases.

Plant Construction

Westlake Chemical Corp. is proceeding with the previously announced construction of a new chlor-alkali plant at its vinyls manufacturing complex in Geismar, Louisiana. The new chlor-alkali unit is estimated to produce 250,000 electrochemical units annually. The construction costs are estimated to range between $250 million and $300 million, but will be partially funded by the Gulf Opportunity Zone bonds issued by the company. The project is targeted for start-up in the second half of 2013.

Settlement

Air Products LLC has agreed to pay nearly $1.5 million in civil penalties to resolve hazardous waste mismanagement violations at its Pasadena, Texas chemical manufacturing facility. The settlement resolves the company’s Resource Conservation and Recovery Act violations in transferring spent acid to the neighboring Agrifos fertilizer manufacturing plant. As part of the settlement, Air Products has agreed to continue to manage the spent acid onsite and not to ship it to Agrifos or any other facility not authorized to accept it.

Acquisition