Valley Brass and Aluminum penalized by Oregon DEQ

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) recently issued a penalty of $7,382 to Valley Brass and Aluminum Inc., Salem, for illegally disposing of foundry sand waste that was contaminated with hazardous levels of lead.

DEQ had originally issued the penalty because the company stored piles of sand generated at the foundry at 1055 Hilfiker Road SE in Salem directly on the ground at its site, without cover and not contained. Valley Brass and Aluminum promptly corrected the violation by having the lead-contaminated waste sand treated to render it non-hazardous.

The $7,382 penalty was for disposing of the hazardous waste at the company site rather than at a permitted hazardous waste disposal site. DEQ also cited the company for failing to determine if the waste it generated was hazardous.

Valley Brass and Aluminum appealed the penalty and is now negotiating with DEQ to settle the case.