Company Accused Of Violating Clean Air Act At Lexington Facility

LEXINGTON, MA — A global biopharmaceutical company is paying $600,000 to settle allegations that it violated the Clean Air Act at its Lexington facility, according to Attorney General Maura Healey's office.

The Attorney General's office said $200,000 of the settlement money will fund a project to purchase air filters for more than 500 homes in Chelsea.

“This company knowingly caused air pollution by failing to comply with regulations intended to protect public health,” AG Healey said. “This settlement holds the company accountable and will result in long-term benefits to the air quality in hundreds of homes in Chelsea, a community in which vulnerable residents have been hard hit by the pandemic and subjected to a long history of environmental injustices.”

Shire Human Genetic Therapies was accused of exceeding applicable emissions limits for volatile organic compounds at its Lexington facility. VOCs are dangerous air pollutants that pose severe risks to public health, including through their contribution to the formation of harmful ground level ozone, or smog, which can increase susceptibility to and exacerbate respiratory ailments and illnesses including asthma. Ozone also causes toxic effects in plants and degrades materials such as rubber and fabric.

The AG’s complaint alleges that, in 2014, Shire began increasing its use of surface disinfectants in its expanding manufacturing operations at its Lexington facility without first seeking or obtaining a permit to do so from MassDEP, as is required under applicable law. The complaint alleges that since 2014, Shire exceeded its emissions limits at least 100 times, with 28 of those times being more than double the allowed limit. The complaint alleges that Shire failed to comply with numerous recordkeeping and reporting requirements as well.

Shire will have to apply for a new permit that will cap VOC emissions from the Lexington facility at a level that will both allow expansion at the facility and help keep the public safe from dangerous pollutants.

On top of the $400,000 in civil penalties, the settlement requires Shire to pay $200,000 to fund a project being conducted by GreenRoots, Inc., a community-based organization dedicated to improving and enhancing the urban environment and public health in Chelsea and surrounding communities.