LAS VEGAS (AP) — A titanium company will pay a $500,000 fine in a Nevada chlorine release that had people seven miles away complaining about the odor.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said Thursday the 2012 release near the Henderson facility continued for several hours and authorities weren't immediately notified.
Chlorine gas exposure can trigger headaches, bronchitis and asthma and be fatal in extreme cases.
The agency says Titanium Metals Corporation has also agreed to hire an independent auditor to check their emergency preparedness programs and chemical safety.
The EPA also found violations during a March 2015 inspection.
The company is one of the world's largest producers of titanium products. It processes titanium from ore at a facility at the Black Mountain Industrial Complex in Henderson.
The company could not immediately be reached for comment.