For the second time in recent years, Pfizer has been fined by federal authorities for violating the Clean Air Act at a manufacturing plant in Barceloneta, Puerto Rico.
In this latest instance, the Environmental Protection Agency on Tuesday fined the drug maker $190,000 failing to disclose information about hazardous chemicals that were used at the plant, which makes various pharmaceutical ingredients and finished medicines.
The latest penalty originated with an inspection that was conducted in early 2014 by the EPA, which found that Pfizer stored certain substances — in this case, ammonia and methylamine — that exceeded permitted amounts. This triggered a requirement to file a plan, which Pfizer failed to do and led to the fine. The substances were also used without properly being disclosed to the EPA, according to the agency.
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