EPA settles with waste treatment facility

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a $304,500 settlement with Perma-Fix Northwest Richland, a waste treatment facility, for failure to properly manage hazardous waste and PCB waste at its facility in Richland, Washington.

Perma-Fix, which acquired the facility on June 13, 2007, has cooperated with EPA to improve its waste management procedures and come into compliance.

On March 6, 2007, EPA and the Washington State Department of Ecology conducted an inspection of the facility, located at 2025 Battelle Blvd., Richland, Washington, which was at that time owned and operated by Pacific EcoSolutions, Inc. (PEcoS). On June 14, 2007, EPA issued a Notice of Violation and a notice that the facility was unacceptable for receipt of Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) remedial waste, citing violations of the permit and Washington dangerous waste regulations.

Of greatest concern were:

• PEcoS’s prolonged storage of dangerous waste and PCB waste;
• Failure to manage mixed-Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) regulated PCB waste properly in accordance with its permit;
• Failure to properly manage dangerous waste generated during treatment of low-level waste;
• Failure to determine if a generated solid waste is a dangerous waste;
• Failure to determine whether hazardous waste must be treated to meet Land Disposal Restrictions (LDRs);
• Disposal of dangerous waste at an unpermitted facility; and
• Transporting a dangerous waste without a manifest.

Perma-Fix worked promptly with the Agency to correct the violations and, by letter dated September 24, 2007, received notification of EPA’s determination that the facility remained acceptable for the receipt of CERCLA off-site wastes.