American battery manufacturer Exide Technologies has added additional capacity for production lead-acid batteries at its plant in Poznań, Poland
In the company’s biggest European investment project to date, it has added EIRICH machines to boost production of its Absorbent Glass Mat (AGM) batteries.
Exide Technologies has secured a deal to supply lithium-ion batteries to Norwegian discount wholesaler Europris.
Exide Technologies has agreed to settle a $3.9million lawsuit alleging Clean Air Act violations at it lead smelter in Muncie, Indiana.
Exide Technologies is to close its troubled Vernon lead-acid battery recycling plant after entering into an non-prosecution agreement with US officials.
The plant will permanently close following a deal with the Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California that resolves the USAO’s criminal investigation into Exide.
American lead-acid battery manufacturer Exide Technologies has received eight violations for failing to protect against toxic waste spills at its battery recycling plant in Vernon.
An inspection by the Californian Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency inspectors on 20 and 21 January, 2015, and oversight activities on 12 December, 2014 revealed incidents of non-compliance with Exide’s hazardous waste permit at the plant during an inspection of the facility.
Among the most serious violations observed by DTSC inspectors was treatment of contaminated sludge in tanks that Exide is not authorised to operate at its Vernon facility.
Inspectors also found evidence the company had failed to sufficiently protect against spills in an area where it stores materials including battery acid.
Exide recovers lead from lead bearing plant scrap and secondary materials, primarily from lead-acid battery manufacturers. These activities require a hazardous waste facility permit from DTSC.
Exide is one of only two lead-acid battery-recycling plants west of the Rocky Mountains in western America.
The Vernon plant had a capacity of recovering 100,000 to 120,000 tons of lead per year, equivalent to recycling 11 million car batteries, according to the DTSC website.
In a statement Exide said it is working to fix the violations and was set to spend $15 million to upgrade the Vernon plant, total bringing its total investment in environmental, health and safety measures at the Vernon facility to $35 million since 2010.
Tom Strang, vice president, environment health and safety for the Americas at Exide Technologies, as said: “The company is already taking action pursuant to the Notice and will continue to work with the DTSC so that all applicable standards and protocols are met. We intend to operate a premier recycling facility.”
Exide Technologies Inc has produced its Chapter 11 bankruptcy exit plan that spells how it plans to be clear of its burden by March 2015. It needs $175m in new investment as well as complicated debt for equity swaps with major lenders but much hinges on the troubled Vernon California plant.
This has already cost it $69m since April and could cost another $98m more over the next few years if it is allowed to re-open. No calculation is given as to what it would cost to get lead from elsewhere.
California has set a deadline for the Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) to make a decision on whether to issue a final permit to Exide’s beleaguered Vernon lead smelter.
The Vernon plant has been operating on a temporary permit for decades but a new bill signed by California Governor Jerry Brown requires that the DTSC make its decision by December 31, 2015.
Exide Technologies has been hit with a grand jury subpoena in connection with a criminal investigation involving its Vernon lead-recycling plant in California.
In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Exide revealed the August 8 subpoena seeks "documents relating to materials transportation and air emissions." Exide itself and "certain unidentified individuals" are targets of the investigation" being conducted by the Justice Department in the Central District of California.
Exide Technologies has filed for more time to discuss its bankruptcy restructuring plan with its bondholders.
Exide wants to extend through December 10 to negotiate its plans with unsecured creditors without the threat that creditors could file rival plans.
California's South Coast Air Quality Management District (AQMD) Hearing Board has given Exide permission to reopen its Vernon lead smelter after the company installed environmental protections.
The protections include air quality control equipment that monitors arsenic emissions and stops lead-contaminated dust from being released during upgrades. Exide is also obliged to submit monthly status reports to the AQMD Hearing Board.
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