In the second quarter (Q2) of 2025, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized 179 settlement agreements with companies small and large across the United States. This represents a decrease in enforcement actions—down from 196 penalties issued in Q1 2025. The actions taken resulted in $13,294,004 in fines. Here are some of the highlights.
FIFRA violations yield biggest fine from EPA
The largest Q2 fine assessed by the EPA was to a global retailer, which must pay $3,066,724 for violations of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). The multinational corporation was cited for 3,735 separate violations of the importation or distribution of pesticide and device units. Specifically, the membership warehouse operator:
- Distributed unregistered pesticides
- Misbranded devices
- Violated a stop-sale order
- Failed to file reports required by FIFRA
There were additional enforcement actions taken against 72 other entities for FIFRA violations, with further penalties ranging from $300 to $1,145,795. In all, FIFRA violations accounted for $5,956,914 in Q2.
CAA violations
A North American metal component manufacturer agreed to settle with the EPA to resolve violations of the Clean Air Act (CAA). Allegedly, the Illinois facility violated regulations related to New Source Performance Standards and an implementation plan for National Primary and Secondary Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). As part of the agreement, the company will pay a $962,985 penalty.
The EPA has also reached a settlement agreement with an automotive manufacturing supplier in Illinois for violating CAA emissions regulations. The company exceeded volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions limits and failed to keep required records. A $520,200 fine has been issued.
For Q2, the sum of all federal penalties issued in relation to CAA violations amounted to $4,202,688.
RCRA violations bring five- and six-figure fines
The EPA continues its consistent enforcement of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA):
· A batch chemical manufacturer in Oregon was penalized $500,000 for RCRA violations, including failure to meet large quantity generator (LQG) conditional exemptions, such as container and tank labeling requirements and emissions control during waste transfer. Ignoring numerous violations of standards applicable to hazardous waste generators, the facility operated for five years without a permit.
- In Florida, the EPA fined a paint and coatings company $213,750 to resolve RCRA violations. Officials found the company storing hazardous waste in unmarked, unlabeled containers and exceeding the maximum allowable 90-day accumulation time limit for two 55-gallon containers. Additionally, the company had not updated its contingency plan with current employee names and positions, nor had it maintained training records.
- A $154,060 penalty was issued to a Missouri-based nonprofit facility for RCRA violations. According to officials, the organization failed to make hazardous waste determinations, document weekly inspections, and update its contingency plan. There were also open, undated, and unlabeled containers of wipes and waste found during the inspection.
Emphasizing clean water
The EPA cited 81 different entities for violations of the Clean Water Act (CWA), including a Utah county government for dredge and fill material permit violations, as well as a college in Maine for releasing 1,680 gallons of biodiesel into a local brook. The CWA fines totaled $272,238 and ranged from $1,000 to $85,000.
TSCA violations
A South Carolina tire manufacturing and distribution facility was fined $415,000 for violating the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). The tire company failed to comply with reporting and recordkeeping requirements, including the filing of accurate Chemical Data Reporting (CDR) forms and Premanufacture Notification (PMN) forms.
The EPA issued a $73,840 penalty to a painting company in Colorado for TSCA violations related specifically to the Lead Renovation, Repair, and Painting Program (Lead RRP). Officials cited the company for failing to:
- Maintain certification from the EPA to perform renovations.
- Retain all documents related to lead-safe work practices and compliance.
- Obtain written acknowledgment of the Renovate Right pamphlet.
A real estate and restoration company in Texas agreed to pay $42,500 to resolve violations of TSCA’s Lead RRP rule. After reviewing records, the EPA determined that the company, which performs renovations on television, needed to address 23 TSCA violations, with a civil penalty and the inclusion of Lead RRP activities in three future shows.