JUNE 2008 American Recycler Newspaper

JUNE 2008

Crown Disposal fined $88,000 for excess emissions

The California Air Resources Board (ARB) fined Crown Disposal Company, Inc., with more than $88,000 in fines for a two-year failure to inspect their diesel trucks for compliance with the state’s smoke emissions standards, and for violation of trash hauler rules.

Crown Disposal, based in Sun Valley, California, will pay $88,275 following an ARB investigation that found the company failed to conduct diesel truck smoke tests in 2005 and 2006. Further, a small number of Crown Disposal’s trucks were missing ARB-required labels for solid waste collection vehicles. Under the penalty, Crown Disposal must:

Ensure that staff responsible for compliance with the diesel truck emission inspection program attend diesel education courses and provide certificates of completion within one year;
Instruct vehicle operators to comply with the state’s idling regulations;
Complete heavy-duty diesel engine software and control technology upgrades in compliance with regulations;
Supply all smoke inspection records to ARB for the next four years; and
Properly label engines to ensure compliance with the engine emissions certification program regulations.

The California Air Pollution Control Fund, established to mitigate various sources of pollution through education and the advancement and use of cleaner technology, will receive $66,206.25. The remainder will go to the Peralta Community College District to fund diesel education classes.