Please see update to this post here: http://connectingdirectors.com/articles/43195-dodge-responds-with-the-real-story-company-is-here-for-the-long-haul
A supplier and former manufacturer of embalming chemicals, Dodge Company, has decided to close its Cambridge facility and to make safety improvements at its warehouses in Texas, Illinois and California under a settlement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
The settlement of the Billerica-based company addresses concerns identified by the EPA that procedures designed to prevent accidental releases of hazardous chemicals and to help protect first responders in the event of an accident were not adequately followed.
Dodge will pay a $400,000 penalty as a part of the settlement, and decided to stop manufacturing embalming chemicals.
According to the EPA’s complaint, Dodge failed to comply with the chemical risk management planning requirements of the Clear Air Act at four of its facilities in Cambridge, Mass., Fort Worth, Texas, Batavia, Ill., and Fontana, Calif.. The EPA also stipulated that Dodge failed to file chemical inventory reports by the federal Emergency Planning and Right-to-Know-Act, which provides information about a facility’s hazardous chemicals to emergency responders and the public, for its warehouse operations.
Dodge’s agreement with the EPA settles charges of 10 violations of the Clean Air Act at the Massachusetts facility, as well as one charge of violating the Clean Air Act and one charge of violating EPCRA at each of the other facilities.
“The company took numerous actions to come into compliance, although ultimately, they decided to close the Cambridge facility and outsource the manufacturing of embalming products to another company,” EPA spokesman Dave Deegan said in en email.
At the Cambridge facility, Dodge will assess all tanks for problems and make necessary changes, in addition to taking measures to reduce fire risks.
In addition, Dodge has taken steps to increase the safety of its other facilities, including conducting detailed process hazard analyses, developing new employee training programs and operating procedures, and conducting compliance audits.
The former Cambridge operation was located near a transit center, several businesses and a parkway. At the time of the violations, the facility blended, packaged, stored and sold embalming chemicals and other products needed for funerals. In the manufacture of embalming chemicals, Dodge used formaldehyde, a flammable chemical that can also form toxic gas, as well as flammable methanol and isopropanol.
Inspections of the Cambridge facility in January 2010 revealed that Dodge’s Cambridge facility had a potential for fire or explosion from a buildup of flammable vapor, from static discharge or improperly rated electrical equipment. Inspectors also found improperly maintained tanks and tank supports.
The EPA also found that Dodge’s risk management plan for the facility was not in compliance with most of their regulations and that Dodge hadn’t filed risk management plans for its warehousing operations. Dodge’s warehouses in Texas, Illinois and California did not have risk management plans until 2011.
However, the EPA said it has no knowledge of any chemical releases associated with any of the company’s facilities.
“Dodge Company takes safety measures extremely seriously, which is why we were happy to work cooperatively with the EPA to make sure that all of our facilities met their rigorous standards,” Nancy Sterling, a spokeswoman for Dodge, said in a statement. “Although many of the violations dealt with late paperwork filings, we currently have the right personnel in place to make certain that will not happen in the future. Our manufacturing is now contracted out so all of the issues raised have been addressed by the company.”
Source: BizJournals.com
Dodge is Alive and Well
A message from Debbie Dodge, President of The Dodge Company
You’ve no doubt seen the headline on ConnectingDirectors.com saying that The Dodge Company has stopped manufacturing embalming chemicals. There’s some truth to that, but here’s the real story.
In 2011, Dodge contracted with a large U.S. company to begin manufacturing our injection chemicals using Dodge formulas. This had been in the works for some time and has proven to be a good decision for both businesses. The outside firm blends and packages products for companies throughout the U.S. All they do is blend and package so they have the staff in place to handle all of the regulations and legal hurdles that small businesses struggle with. This wasn’t a secret, we actually printed a full page ad in The Dodge Magazine in the Spring 2011 issue to let everyone know – and to avoid rumors like this!
Since outsourcing the majority of our manufacturing (we still manufacture most of our cosmetics in-house), we’ve been able to focus on our primary business of serving customers. We’ve also had more time to devote to educational programming and have recently hired a Coordinator of Technical Education & Training.
The EPA visited us in early 2010 and found a number of issues at our former facility in Cambridge. The most important thing we want everyone to know is that there has never been an environmental incident, spill, or injury to an employee. We hired consultants to do much of the original paperwork but the results were not what we expected.
After 40 years in Cambridge, Massachusetts (just outside of Boston), we have moved to a larger and more modern facility, in Billerica, Massachusetts – about 20 miles from our former location. The move was in the works before our visit from EPA. When we moved to Cambridge in 1973, we were the only company on the street. Over the years many other firms moved in and eventually we were the only industrial business left. The building boom in Boston hit our Cambridge neighborhood a couple of years ago and there are apartment buildings going up everywhere. We’ve found the perfect home in Billerica – we’re on 7+ acres and have 10 truck bays which makes truck access 100% better than it had been before.
And the final question on many people’s minds is the financial impact. I’m happy to report that three generations of Dodges before me have been thrifty, conservative New Englanders. So while the fine hurts, it doesn’t threaten the strength of the Dodge Company. We’re here for the long haul!
Debbie Dodge
President