October 3, 2016 - A chemical processing company will pay $106,000 in civil penalties and make changes at its Carson facility as part of a settlement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency over a 2013 release of sulfur dioxide.  The Eco Services Operations Corp. facility on Wilmington Avenue produces and regenerates sulfuric acid, an ingredient used in refining oil. The plant released more than 65,000 pounds of sulfur dioxide into the air over five hours on Nov. 18, 2013, and workers at the plant then failed to report the release to officials until eight hours after the release began, according to a release from the EPA.  Employees at nearby businesses reported pain in their lungs and eye irritation to emergency responders, and 11 eventually were treated at local hospitals.  The release occurred after employees at the facility failed to conduct a pre-startup safety review, said EPA Communications Officer Nahal Mogharabi. As a result of that error, a valve that should have been opened to allow the sulfur dioxide to be converted to sulfur trioxide remained closed, according to a consent agreement between the EPA and Eco Solutions.  Additionally, the EPA said, employees were not properly trained to respond to the emergency alarms at the facility, and didn’t shut down operations at the plant when they went off. According to the consent agreement, the employees assumed the system would automatically shut down, and weren’t even aware of the release until emergency responders showed up at the facility.  An investigation by the EPA in 2014 found those and other issues, including a problem with the facility’s system that should have shown employees that the valve was closed.  “It is crucial for companies to take all necessary steps to maintain safe operations,” said Alexis Strauss, acting regional administrator for the EPA’s southwest region in the release.  On top of the six-figure fine Eco Solutions will pay, the company also has updated its startup checklist, conducted training for employees on the updated procedures and added an alarm to let workers know if the startup process is not working properly.  Representatives from Eco Solutions did not immediately return a call requesting comment.

May 4, 2016 - PQ Corporation, a leading global manufacturer of specialty inorganic performance chemicals, high-end catalysts, and engineered glass beads, and Eco Services Operations LLC (“Eco Services”), the North American leader in sulfuric acid recycling services, announced today the closing of a previously announced merger that bolsters PQ’s position as a world-class specialty inorganic chemical company.  Concurrently with the closing of the merger between PQ and Eco Services, PQ has also refinanced its existing credit facilities by entering into a USD$1.2 billion senior secured term loan (consisting of a USD$900 million senior secured term loan and a USD$300 million Euro equivalent senior secured term loan), USD$625 million in new senior secured notes, USD$525 million in senior unsecured notes, and a USD$200 million asset-based secured revolving credit facility. The existing $200 million of Eco Services notes will remain outstanding.  “Combining PQ and Eco Services and refinancing our credit facilities positions the new PQ to grow and prosper well into the future,” said George J. Biltz, President and Chief Executive Officer of the combined company. “Moving forward, our customers will continue to see superior product offerings and top-notch service from our dedicated team.”  Biltz also noted that the combination joins two specialty inorganic chemical companies that have similar business models and complementary customers. Both companies provide mission-critical products and services to the refinery industry, with PQ supplying catalysts necessary for the refining of crude oil and Eco Services providing sulfuric acid regeneration services needed in the alkylation process. Biltz anticipates a smooth integration process that is expected to yield significant back-office savings and other synergies that will serve PQ’s growth initiatives.