State RCRA Regulations

Former Hazardous Waste Transporter Sentenced for Unlawful Disposal, Storage and Transportation of Hazardous Waste

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – A Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) investigation resulted in the successful prosecution and sentencing of former hazardous waste transporter Roy Paul Gressly for six felony violations of the Hazardous Waste Control Act.  DTSC’s Office of Criminal Investigations participated in the joint investigation with the US Environmental Protection Agency and the Santa Fe Springs Fire Department. The California Attorney General’s Office prosecuted the case against Gressly, who pleaded no contest to the six felony violations. Gressly was sentenced on Jan. 7, 2014, in Los Angeles Superior Court to 120 days in jail and three years probation for two counts of unlawful disposal of hazardous waste, two counts of unlawful storage of hazardous waste and two counts of unlawful transportation of hazardous waste to unauthorized locations.  “This type of illegal conduct will be investigated fully and those responsible will be held accountable,” said Reed Sato, DTSC Chief Counsel. “Illegal disposal, storage and transportation of hazardous waste threatens the health of the citizens of this community. I am pleased that we brought this violator to justice.

During his probation, Gressly is prohibited from working in the hazardous waste business. The court also ordered Gressly to pay more than $228,000 in restitution to former customers and landlords who had to clean up illegally stored and abandoned hazardous waste, and to pay a criminal fine of $7,500 plus applicable assessments, surcharges and penalties.  Operating under several business names, Gressly was a commercial hazardous waste transporter who accepted hazardous waste from customers for delivery to authorized disposal facilities.  Instead of delivering the waste for proper disposal, he stockpiled it at three unauthorized locations in the Los Angeles area and abandoned some of the waste at two of those locations. A spill from a leaking tanker truck prompted the investigation that discovered the violations.  Due to Gressly’s illegal activities, his former customers and the owners of properties where Gressly illegally stored and abandoned hazardous waste, had to pay substantial cleanup costs. In addition, public funds were necessary to clean up the waste.

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FOR GENERAL INQUIRIES: Contact the Department of Toxic Substances

Here for the full press release

Every generator of hazardous waste should take note of the fact that it was Mr. Gressly’s customers (ie. the generators of hazardous waste who entrusted him to dispose of it) along with the owners of the property where it was illegally stored that were initially responsible for clean-up costs.  They are fortunate that the state was able to recover some money from Mr. Gressly to compensate them for their losses.  The generator of a hazardous waste has a Cradle-to-Grave responsibility for its proper management.  This responsibility exists under the regulations of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) for active hazardous waste sites (like this one) and the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) for abandoned sites.

If you generate a hazardous, part of your cradle-to-grave responsibility is to provide initial training along with an annual review for all facility personnel.  Contact me to provide the mandatory RCRA training for your facility personnel.

Daniels Training Services

815.821.1550/Info@DanielsTraining.com/www.DanielsTraining.com

Saint-Gobain Plastics Assessed $1,730 Penalty for Hazardous Waste Management Violations, Must Provide iPads to Worcester Fire Dept.

Read the news release:  Saint-Gobain Plastics Assessed $1,730 Penalty for Hazardous Waste Management Violations, Must Provide iPads to Worcester Fire Dept.

BOSTON – Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics Corporation, which operates a coating facility at 717 Plantation Street in Worcester, has been assessed penalties totaling $6,900 by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) for violating Hazardous Waste regulations.

During a routine inspection conducted in the fall of 2012, MassDEP determined the company had accumulated hazardous waste for longer than the time allowed under its registered generator status. As part of a consent order with MassDEP, the company will pay a $1,730 penalty and perform a Supplemental Environmental Project in lieu of paying a larger penalty amount.

The project includes the purchase of four iPads and associated hardware and software that will be given to the Worcester Fire Department. The iPads will allow first-responders to access a chemical database web site while in the field, providing them with detailed chemical datasheets within seconds.

“The company, once notified of the violation, took steps quickly to return to compliance and proposed the Supplemental Environmental Project,” said Lee Dillard Adams, director of MassDEP’s Central Regional Office in Worcester.  “The iPads will be a great resource for the Worcester Fire Department and greatly assist in their response to certain emergency situations.”

MassDEP is responsible for ensuring clean air and water, safe management and recycling of solid and hazardous wastes, timely cleanup of hazardous waste sites and spills and the preservation of wetlands and coastal resources.

It’s good that the company quickly returned to compliance.  It would be even better if it had not had the violations in the first place.  Contact me for a free RCRA training consultation or with any questions you may have about the management of hazardous waste.

Chicopee Company Pays Fine and Ships over 40,000 lbs of Hazardous Waste, Protecting Human Health and the Environment

Read the press release:  Chicopee Company Pays Fine and Ships over 40,000 lbs of Hazardous Waste, Protecting Human Health and the Environment

Release Date: 12/19/2013
Contact Information: Emily Zimmerman, 617-918-1037

(Boston, Mass) A paint manufacturer in Chicopee, Mass. has agreed to pay a penalty of $153,917 to resolve claims by the US Environmental Protection Agency that it violated federal hazardous waste laws.

In an agreement signed recently with EPA’s New England office, C & C Ventures, also known as Randolph Products, agreed to pay the penalty and to comply with the federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA).

Last June, EPA filed a complaint against the company alleging violations of hazardous waste management laws. C&C Ventures manufactures a variety of paint products at its Chicopee, Mass. facility. Its violations included

  • Failure to properly identify hazardous wastes.
  • Failure to properly label and store hazardous waste containers.
  • Failure to train personnel who manage hazardous waste.

Hazardous waste regulations under RCRA are designed to ensure that operating facilities manage hazardous wastes in an environmentally sound manner from “cradle to grave” in order to prevent releases that could pose risks to human health and the environment. Manufacturing facilities often generate hazardous wastes during production, and those wastes must be properly managed and disposed of.

Since EPA’s discovery of the alleged violations at the Chicopee, Mass company, over 40,000 lbs of hazardous waste have been shipped off site to a licensed hazardous waste facility. In addition to paying a penalty totaling $153,917 for violations of RCRA, C&C Ventures has also worked to come into compliance so as to continue protecting human health and the environment in the future by:

• properly determining whether or not wastes are hazardous;
• properly labeling and storing hazardous waste containers;
• providing hazardous waste training to employees; and
• conducting weekly inspections of hazardous waste storage areas.

More information: Enforcing hazardous waste laws in New England (http://www.epa.gov/region1/enforcement/waste/index.html)

It’s no surprise to me that among the facility’s violations was a lack of training.  The RCRA training provided by Daniels Training Services will help you to avoid these kinds of penalties.  Please contact me for your free training consultation.

A Notice From the Ohio EPA Regarding the 2013 Hazardous Waste Report – Reminder and Changes

Below is the text from a notice from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency regarding the Biennial Hazardous Waste Report due March 1, 2014 for calendar year 2013.  Read here how this once annual report was changed to biennial in 2012.

The reporting season has begun for the 2013 Hazardous Waste Report, which is due on March 1, 2014. This report is required of any facility that generated 2200 pounds or more of hazardous waste (or 2.2 pounds or more of acute hazardous waste) in any calendar month in 2013.

There are no changes to the reporting process, which means no changes to the eBusiness data entry screens or paper forms. eBiz users can now access reports from their facility’s entire period of record. In the past users were only able to access reports from 2009 or later. The only changes for the 2013 report itself are changes to some of the Management Method Codes and to the Waste Minimization Codes. You can see a list of these changes on pages 2 to 3, 29 to 30 and 62 in the Hazardous Waste Report Instructions. If you are filing a paper report or importing data files make sure that you are using correct and up to date codes or your report will fail data validation.

If you haven’t filed electronically before, please consider doing so this year. The software has many features that help you prepare the report quickly and more accurately than on paper. The software allows the user to validate some of the information provided in the report which helps to reduce the possibility of violations. It also includes the ability to copy a previous year’s report as a starting point for a new report, even if you haven’t filed electronically in the past. Remember, Ohio EPA recently started collecting Hazardous Waste Reports biennially. So the most recent report you will be able to access is from 2011. If you do plan on filing electronically this year for the first time make sure to start the process early so you can obtain a PIN and associate your Responsible Official with your facility.

The Responsible Official for the facility is the person who gets the electronic filing process started by applying for the eDRUMS service. To determine if you meet the requirement for either a Responsible Official or Delegated Responsible Official please reference OAC 3745-50-42. Begin by accessing our training materials on the hazardous waste reporting web page. These consist of three recorded webinars, or PDF copies of the PowerPoint presentations from the webinars:

  1. Getting Started in the eBusiness Center
  2. Applying for and Delegating the HW Service
  3. Preparing a Report in eDRUMS.

If your facility’s report was filed electronically for 2011 but there have been personnel changes, it’s time to have new users get eBiz accounts or terminate access rights for users no longer involved with the facility’s report. For information on removing preparers or Responsible Officials, see “Changing Roles in eBiz” on the Report web page.

If you have any questions, including questions or concerns about getting started in eBiz, please contact:

Thomas Babb, Hazardous Waste Report Coordinator
Thomas.Babb@epa.ohio.gov

(614) 914-2527

or

Paula Canter, System Administrator
paula.canter@epa.ohio.gov

(614) 644-2923

If you are a facility that is required to file an Annual Ground Water Monitoring Report in addition to the HWR please read these updates for the 2013 Reporting cycle.

If you are required to submit the biennial hazardous waste report in Ohio, that means you are also required to provide formal training (classroom or on-the-job) to all facility personnel annually so they are able to manage hazardous waste in compliance with the regulations (Ohio has an authorized hazardous waste program, so you must refer to state regulations).  In addition to hazardous waste management procedures, employees must be trained on your facility’s emergency response procedures.  I can provide this training (also HazMat Employee training required by the USDOT) in a variety of formats:  Seminars, Onsite, Web-Based.  Please contact me for a free consultation about your training requirements.

Radant Technologies of Stow Penalized $6,400 for Violating Hazardous Waste Requirements

BOSTON – The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) has assessed a $6,440 penalty against Radant Technologies, Inc. of Stow for violations of state Hazardous Waste regulations. The company manufactures composite radomes and reflectors at its 255 Hudson Road facility.

During a routine inspection conducted in March, MassDEP personnel found the company had accumulated hazardous waste for longer than is allowed by its registered status, failed to maintain a hazardous waste inspection log and failed to properly label its hazardous waste containers. In a consent order with MassDEP, the company is required to maintain compliance with applicable regulations and pay the penalty.

“Hazardous Waste regulations require proper management and disposal of wastes within specific time frames, which are dependent on the amount of waste generated,” said Lee Dillard Adams, director of MassDEP’s Central Regional Office in Worcester. “Once made aware of the violations, the company took immediate corrective actions.”

MassDEP is responsible for ensuring clean air and water, safe management and recycling of solid and hazardous wastes, timely cleanup of hazardous waste sites and spills and the preservation of wetlands and coastal resources.

For the full news release from MassDEP:  Radant Technologies of Stow Penalized $6,400 for Violating Hazardous Waste Requirements

As noted in the above news release, the on-site accumulation time limit for hazardous waste is determined by a facility’s hazardous waste generator status:  no more than 90 days for a large quantity generator or hazardous waste and no more than 180 days for a small quantity generator of hazardous waste.  There is no time limit for the on-site accumulation of hazardous waste in the following situations:

  • A conditionally exempt small quantity generator of hazardous waste.
  • A used oil.
  • A non-hazardous waste.
  • A universal waste (limited to one year).
  • A waste that is excluded from definition as a hazardous waste due to a regulatory exclusion or recycling.

A large or small quantity generator of hazardous waste that exceeds the on-site accumulation time limit, even by just one day, can face severe penalties, as in this case.

In addition to an on-site accumulation time limit, and a host of other regulatory requirements, both a large and small quantity generator of hazardous waste must provide training for its facility personnel that handle hazardous waste or may respond to a hazardous waste emergency.  Contact me to provide the RCRA hazardous waste training that you need to comply with the regulations and to learn how to avoid penalties like this one.

Company to Pay More Than $93,000 Over Claims of Illegal Dumping of Construction Waste at Methuen Site

BOSTON — A waste hauling firm based in Essex will pay more than $93,000 to settle claims that it illegally dumped multiple loads of construction and demolition waste at an unpermitted site in Methuen, Attorney General Martha Coakley announced today.

According to the complaint, entered Wednesday along with the consent judgment in Suffolk Superior Court, Dynamic Waste Systems, Inc. violated the state’s solid waste disposal laws by dumping more than 115 loads of construction and demolition waste, including concrete, brick, and stone, at the site over a period of 70 days.

“We will vigorously pursue those who fail to follow the Commonwealth’s solid waste laws and regulatory requirements,” AG Coakley said. “This settlement sends a strong message that haulers who improperly dispose of waste will be forced to clean up illegal dumping grounds.”

According to the complaint, Thomas Battye, the owner of the Methuen site, never applied for or received an assignment to operate a solid waste facility from the Methuen Board of Health or a solid waste management facility permit from the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP).

“Illegal dumping of solid waste undermines the protection of the Commonwealth’s natural resources, and it won’t be tolerated,” said MassDEP Commissioner Kenneth Kimmell. “Disposal of materials must be done at properly approved or permitted facilities without exception.”

The consent judgment requires that Dynamic Waste Systems pay a total of $90,000 into a special fund established by the Commonwealth to help with the cost of site evaluation and subsequent cleanup work at the Battye site. Under the judgment, Dynamic will also pay a $3,750 civil penalty.

Battye is the subject of a separate, pending action brought by the Commonwealth related to solid waste violations at the Methuen site. The AG’s Office is also pursuing claims against additional waste haulers and demolition contractors who dumped or contracted for solid waste disposal at the Battye site.

Assistant Attorney General Matthew Ireland of AG Coakley’s Environmental Protection Division handled the case, with assistance from MassDEP Environmental Analysts Mark Fairbrother, John MacAuley and Karen Goldensmith, and MassDEP attorneys Jeanne Argento and Colleen McConnell, all from MassDEP’s Northeast Regional Office.

Even though the waste in question was not a hazardous waste, the potential remains for significant fines if the state’s regulations are violated.  The regulations of both the USEPA and MassDEP identify a solid waste as any discarded material that is not excluded from regulation (eg. due to recycling).  Some solid waste may also be a hazardous waste if they are either identified as a listed hazardous waste and/or exhibit a characteristic of a hazardous waste (ignitability, corrosivity, reactivity, or toxicity).  If not listed nor characteristic, or an exclusion applies, then the waste remains a non-hazardous solid waste.

Conducting a hazardous waste determination for all of your solid waste is one of your primary responsibilities.  If only a solid waste, you must still comply with the regulations of your State and the USEPA under Subtitle D of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA).

Please don’t hesitate to contact me with any questions about the management of solid waste, hazardous waste, used oil, or universal waste in Massachusetts or anywhere in the US.

New England Laborers Training Academy Assessed $7,250 Penalty for Failure to Report and Cleanup Diesel Fuel Spill at Hopkinton Facility

BOSTON – The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) assessed a $7,250 penalty to the New England Laborers Training Academy (NELTA) to settle environmental violations resulting from a 1,000-gallon diesel fuel spill at its facility on East Street in Hopkinton.

On Sept. 21, 2011, the Hopkinton Fire Department notified MassDEP of a diesel fuel release that surfaced in a basement sump pump, causing fuel odors inside an Academy building. NELTA personnel conducted inventory reconciliation of the building’s fuel usage and estimated that 1,000 gallons of fuel was lost during an incident dating back to April 2011 that was never reported to MassDEP nor assessed and cleaned up. Failure to timely notify and immediately assess and abate the release of the heating oil resulted in contamination to soils, groundwater and odor impacts within the building five months later.

As part of a consent order, NELTA was assessed the $7,250 penalty and worked with MassDEP staff to revise its spill contingency and material management plans. As part of the agreement, NELTA was required to pay $3,750 of the assessed penalty to the Commonwealth. The organization also agreed to spend the remaining $3,500 penalty on a Supplemental Environmental Project that will help to purchase emergency equipment for the Hopkinton Fire Department.

“Immediate response actions and timely spill notification are critical to prevent greater environmental damage and cost,” said Lee Dillard Adams, director of MassDEP’s Central Regional Office in Worcester. “NELTA has improved its business practices to prevent a recurrence of this chain of events, which cost the Academy significantly more than it would have to address the spill appropriately in the first place.”

MassDEP is responsible for ensuring clean air and water, safe management and recycling of solid and hazardous wastes, timely cleanup of hazardous waste sites and spills and the preservation of wetlands and coastal resources.

Another thing to consider with all of the above is the fact that many of the RCRA hazardous waste regulations pertaining to generator treatment and management of hazardous waste are suspended during the immediate response to a spill or release of a hazardous waste or what could be a hazardous waste.  That suspension ends, however, whenever it is deemed that the “immediate” response is complete.  Any spill residue that is not promptly cleaned up could be considered to be discarded by being abandoned pursuant to 40 CFR 261.2(b) and therefore subject to determination as a hazardous waste.  If either a listed or characteristic hazardous waste, it would be subject to full regulation under RCRA for on-site disposal.

Contact me to learn more about the RCRA hazardous waste regulations of the USEPA or your State.

EP Fines Ohio Company $12,000 for Illegal Open Burning in Lycoming County

Company Ignored Agency Warning and Repeated Violation

WILLIAMSPORT — The Department of Environmental Protection today announced that it has fined Welded Construction LP of Perrysburg, Ohio, $12,000 for illegally burning wood mats on two occasions in August at its facility in Wolf Township, Lycoming County.

“We told company officials that the open burning of wood waste is a violation of Pennsylvania’s Solid Waste Management Act during our first complaint investigation,” DEP North-central Regional Director Marcus Kohl said. “Yet just eight days later, DEP inspectors caught the company doing the exact same thing.”

Kohl added that it is the responsibility of out-of-state companies to become familiar with Pennsylvania’s environmental laws and regulations to avoid enforcement action, including fines, which may be taken by the department when violations are documented.

“These mats should have been beneficially reused, or taken to a permitted landfill for proper disposal,” Kohl said.

A follow-up inspection conducted by the department in early September confirmed that all violations had been corrected.

The mats – made from hardwood timbers bound together by metal bolts and pins –are used to prevent destruction of land during the movement of heavy equipment in areas of soft ground, wetlands or streams.

You may think that open burning would be a violation of a state’s air regulations, and not its solid waste regulations, as is indicated here.  In fact, the open burning of waste, both hazardous and non-hazardous, was one of the original goals of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) passed in 1976, codified as Federal regulations of the USEPA beginning in 1980, and adopted or incorporated into state regulations by most states (all but Iowa, Alaska, and Puerto Rico) throughout the 1980s.  Read more about it here:  The History of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act.

Contact me to schedule training that will ensure compliance with the regulations of the USEPA and your state.

For more information, visit www.dep.state.pa.us or call 570-327-3653.

DTSC Wins Temporary Restraining Order Against Richmond Plating Facility

A pdf of the DTSC news release.

More about Electro-Forming Company, Inc.’s compliance history with California Department of Toxic Substances Control

RICHMOND — A metal plating company housing large amounts of hazardous chemicals must clean up its property within 30 days, a Contra Costa County Superior Court judge ruled Tuesday.

The ruling followed a request for a temporary restraining order by the state’s Department of Toxic Substances Control to force Electro-Forming and its owners to immediately remove hazardous waste from their property on Nevin Avenue.

Department officials said they sought the court order to force compliance after repeated failings by the company.

“We have made several visits to the site,” DTSC spokeswoman Tamma Adamek said. “It was clear we are dealing with a bad actor.”

In March, investigators searched the site and discovered several problems, including cyanide drums being stored near other acids that, if mixed with cyanide, could produce a deadly gas, according to court papers.

The business is at 130 Nevin Ave., nestled among apartment buildings, single-family homes, parks and several community gardens.

The owners are identified in court papers as Marion Patigler, the estate of Gerhard Patigler, and the estate of Ingrid Patigler. The Department of Toxic Substances Control also alleged that Electro-Forming has illegally stored, treated and disposed of hazardous waste, in addition to improperly storing volatile wastes next to each other.

On Tuesday afternoon, several workers wearing masks and coveralls were seen rummaging through bins and drums at the site. A man who declined to give his name said the owner was not present and took a message.

The temporary restraining order includes strict compliance deadlines and requires Electro-Forming to immediately hire an authorized contractor to remove hazardous waste stored in various drums, containers and a 6,900-gallon “Baker tank” that Electro-Forming was allegedly using to illegally store plating waste that contains hazardous levels of cyanide and metals, according to a department news release.

If Electro-Forming fails to meet deadlines set for the removal work, the temporary restraining order also authorizes DTSC to complete the removal and recover its costs.

Richmond has beefed up its Code Enforcement Unit in recent years and even sued one of its own council members, Corky Boozé, to force him to clean up a property he runs that is littered with old cars, boats and other industrial supplies.

Boozé, who denies that his property is a public nuisance, on Wednesday slammed the city for not addressing what he called a “flagrant” violation of city codes and hazardous chemical storage at Electro-Forming, which he noted is in a residential neighborhood.

“There are real health hazards all over the city, in communities with children, and we don’t do anything about it because we spend tax dollars and staff time investigating my properties,” Boozé said.

Code Enforcement Director Tim Higares and City Manager Bill Lindsay did not respond to requests for comment.

Chad Davisson, the city’s wastewater management officer, said his inspectors confirmed that Electro-Forming had no connection to the city’s sewer line and that the city knew DTSC was investigating the site.

Contact Robert Rogers at 510-262-2726. Follow him at Twitter.com/SFBaynewsrogers.

MPCA completes 63 enforcement cases in third quarter of 2013

St. Paul, Minn. – In its ongoing efforts to promote environmental compliance, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency concluded 63 enforcement cases in 39 counties throughout Minnesota during the third quarter of 2013.

Penalties from all 63 cases totaled just over $577,000.  About 45% of that total will be spent toward the completion of two supplemental environmental projects.  Vonco V of Duluth will spend $240,000 to remove hazardous materials, demolish buildings, dispose of building materials, and conduct site-restoration activities at what could amount to about 20 blighted properties in Duluth.  The Hibbing Public Utilities Commission will spend $17,250 on improvements to its facilities to reduce dust emissions.

Imposing monetary penalties is only part of the MPCA’s enforcement process.  Agency staff continue to provide assistance, support, and information on the steps and tools necessary to achieve compliance for any company or local government that requests it.

The following is a brief summary of all 63 cases completed during the third quarter of 2013:

  • Vonco V LLC/Victory & Vision Properties LLC, Duluth, for air quality and solid waste violations – $300,000 (this includes $240,000 toward a supplemental environmental project)
  • Hibbing Public Utilities Commission, Hibbing, for air quality violations – $34,500 (this includes $17,250 toward a supplemental environmental project)
  • Specialty Minerals, Inc., International Falls, for air quality violations – $24,000
  • Minnesota Department of Transportation, Princeton, for stormwater violations – $13,750
  • Vermillion Fuel, Tower, for above ground storage tank violations – $9,018
  • Hoyt Lakes wastewater treatment plant, Hoyt Lakes, for water quality violations – $8,950
  • St. Cloud Hospital, St. Cloud, for hazardous waste violations – $7,250
  • Ferrell Co., Annandale, for above ground storage tank violations – $7,040
  • Henkemeyer Demolition Landfill, Sauk Rapids, for solid waste violations – $7,000
  • Chet’s Plumbing, Menahga, for individual septic treatment system violations – $6,235
  • Eckert Farm Supply, Gibbon, for solid waste violations – $6,149
  • Roy Winjum, dba RAW Construction Co., Faribault, for individual septic treatment system violations – $5,394
  • Beaver Bay wastewater treatment plant, Beaver Bay, for water quality violations – $5,322
  • Micom Corp., New Brighton, for water quality violations – $5,218
  • Kurt and Beckie Kronebusch, Plainview, for air quality and solid waste violations – $5,000
  • City of Rochester, Rochester, for stormwater violations – $4,800
  • Geislinger and Sons, Inc., Rochester, for stormwater violations – $4,800
  • Clearwater Forest LLC, South Haven, for water quality violations – $4,700
  • Lyle’s Used Trucks & Truck Parts, Bemidji, for stormwater violations – $4,700
  • Manion Lumber & Truss, Inc., Pillager, for water quality violations – $4,700
  • Elgin Milk Service, Inc., Elgin, for hazardous waste violations – $4,300
  • Houston County Airport, Caledonia, for water quality violations – $4,300
  • Kockelman Construction, Canby, for solid waste violations – $4,225
  • X-cel Optical Co., Sauk Rapids, for hazardous waste violations – $4,200
  • Lake County Gravel Pits, Two Harbors, for water quality violations – $4,190
  • ConAgra Flour Mill, Hastings, for air quality violations – $4,150
  • Stier Trucking LLC, Belle Plaine, for solid and hazardous waste violations – $4,100
  • Kimmes Bauer Well Drilling & Irrigation, Blooming Prairie, for water quality violations – $4,000
  • American Artstone Co., New Ulm, for stormwater violations – $3,900
  • Bergh’s Fabricating, Inc., Willmar, for stormwater violations – $3,900
  • Jarraff Industries, St. Peter, for stormwater violations – $3,900
  • Meeker County Transfer Station, Litchfield, for stormwater violations – $3,900
  • Brannt-Valley Excavating, Winona, for water quality violations – $3,900
  • Wausau Paper Mill LLC, Brainerd, for hazardous waste violations – $3,850
  • Scott Verhelst, Canby, for solid waste violations – $3,737
  • Nashwauk wastewater treatment plant, Nashwauk, for water quality violations – $3,691
  • J-n-J’s Recycling, Inc., Mora, for hazardous waste violations – $3,350
  • Michael Gross, dba Lacey Rentals, Inc., Brandon, S.D., for individual septic treatment system violations – $3,325
  • Richard Serocki, dba Serocki Excavating, Inc., Browns Valley, for individual septic treatment system violations – $3,000
  • Great Lakes Aquarium of Lake Superior, Duluth, for water quality violations – $3,000
  • Dean Ristow Property Services LLC, Mora, for hazardous waste violations – $2,750
  • Randy’s Auto Body & Glass, Redwood Falls, for solid and hazardous waste violations – $2,650
  • Rudy Bjerga Construction, Staples, for solid waste violations – $2,640
  • SMI & Hydraulics, Inc., Porter, for hazardous waste violations – $2,600
  • Lee Hanson, dba Serocki Excavating, Inc., Browns Valley, for individual septic treatment system violations – $2,593
  • Cirrus Design Corp., Duluth, for hazardous waste violations – $2,147
  • Red Wing Cabinetry, Red Wing, for air quality violations – $1,725
  • McKay Lincoln Mercury, Inc., Coon Rapids, for air quality violations – $1,687
  • Pauline Brannan, Kasson, for solid waste violations – $1,625
  • Affordable Pumping Service, Inc., Litchfield, for individual septic treatment system violations – $1,618
  • Renetta Swanson, Dunnell, for air quality and solid waste violations – $1,300
  • Kandi-Lake Excavating, Inc., Lake Lillian, for individual septic treatment system violations – $1,100
  • Precision Septic Service, Alden, for asbestos violations – $1,000
  • Carlson Finishers, Trimont, for feedlot violations – $1,000
  • Roger Matejka Farm, Sherburn, for feedlot violations – $1,000
  • Scott & Lavonne Hipp, Henderson, for solid waste violations – $1,000
  • Lowell Heiderscheidt, dba Heiderscheidt Construction, Sleepy Eye, for solid waste violations – $875
  • Anderson Repair, Frost, for solid waste violations – $575
  • AEHC LLC, dba Suite Liv’n, Willmar, for asbestos violations – $500
  • Altmann Family Pork, Inc., New Ulm, for feedlot violations – $500
  • Gerald Hohlen, dba Hohlen Excavating & Sewer, Bock, for individual septic treatment system violations – $500
  • Supreme Pork, Inc., Lake Benton, for feedlot violations – $500
  • Bishop Excavating, Blooming Prairie, for asbestos violations – $350

That comes to a total of $371,323 combined for violations of hazardous waste and solid waste regulations, in Minnesota, in third quarter of 2013 alone.  No matter what state you conduct business, if it has an authorized hazardous waste program (and every state but Iowa, Alaska, and Puerto Rico does), then your state regulatory agency will be looking for violations like these and can issue fines of this amount or even more.  The best way to avoid any violations related to the management of solid waste or hazardous waste is to utilize a training service, like mine, to not only bring you into compliance with the training requirements of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) but to teach you what you need to know about all aspects of compliance with state and Federal hazardous waste regulations.  Contact me to schedule initial and annual training for your Hazardous Waste Personnel.

 

A complete summary of environmental enforcement actions and news releases can be found on the MPCA’s News Media Center Web page.  For questions on specific enforcement cases, please contact Stephen Mikkelson, Information Officer at (218) 316-3887, or toll free at (800) 657-3864.