FORT WORTH, Texas—Beginning Nov. 1, Tokai Carbon CB Ltd. will raise the Environmental Protection Agency surcharge for all carbon black produced in the U.S.
Tokai, in a news release said the 2 cent per pound increase helps to offset the costs to complying with the EPA Consent Decree signed in 2018.
Tokai continues to work on its Consent Degree project, intended to remove emissions from the carbon black production process. Once completed, Tokai said, the project will reduce NOx emission by nearly 1,800 tons each year and eliminate 13,000 tons of SO2 emissions annually.
"At the time, the compliance cost was estimated to be $98 million, but is currently approaching $200 million," Tokai said. "The increase in compliance costs is due to increases in equipment cost and increases in costs associated with building at a time of increasing labor and raw material prices."
Tokai Carbon CB Ltd., part of Tokyo-based Tokai Carbon Group, manufactures more than 40 grades of carbon black and serves customers around the globe. The company operates three production facilities, and has both a research and development facility and headquarters in Fort Worth.