News Release from EPA

Tuesday, March 13, 2012 6:50 PM

Eielson Air Force Base in Fairbanks mismanaged hazardous waste and failed to maintain adequate training plan for personnel handling waste CONTACT: Mark MacIntyre, EPA Public Affairs, 206-553-7302, macintyre.mark@epa.gov; Jack Boller, EPA RCRA Unit, 206-553-2953, boller.jack@epa.gov (Seattle—March 13, 2012) Eielson Air Force Base in Fairbanks mismanaged hazardous waste at its facilities and failed to ensure that personnel handling hazardous waste had proper training, according to a settlement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The base agreed to pay a penalty for alleged violations of federal hazardous waste management laws, correct the violations and improve its waste management and training practices. “Facilities that handle thousands of pounds of hazardous waste each year have to manage it safely and ensure the people working with it are adequately trained,” said Jeff KenKnight, Manager of the Hazardous Waste Compliance Unit in EPA’s Seattle office. “Even minor hazardous waste spills or mismanagement can hurt the environment and put people’s health at risk.” Eielson Air Force Base generates and stores thousands of pounds of hazardous waste each year from vehicle maintenance, aircraft maintenance and other industrial activities. The wastes included coatings containing chromium, a toxic chemical that can be carcinogenic; toxic and highly flammable paint solvents; and fluorescent light tubes containing mercury. EPA inspectors found a series of hazardous waste violations at Eielson Air Force Base during an inspection in 2010. The alleged violations include: Failure to determine if a waste was hazardous Failure to have adequate training plan in place for facility workers handling hazardous waste Improper labeling to clearly identify hazardous waste Failure to conduct regular inspections of hazardous waste containers Improper management of fluorescent lamps containing mercury The settlement requires the base to pay a penalty of $45,700 and make improvements to its standard operating procedures and management controls in order to comply with federal hazardous waste laws. The violations occurred under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. For more information on hazardous waste laws, visit: http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/inforesources/online/index.htm

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News Release from EPA - Sumter Coatings

Sumter Coatings Inc. to Pay Civil Penalty for Resource Conservation and Recovery Act Violations 

Contact Information: Dawn Harris-Young, (404) 562-8421, harris-young.dawn@epa.gov

(ATLANTA - Feb. 27, 2012) — Sumter Coatings Inc. (SCI) agreed to pay a $55,000 civil penalty as part of a settlement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for a series of hazardous waste violations at its facility in Sumter, South Carolina.  As part of the settlement, SCI agreed to develop a personnel training program, develop a schedule for implementation of the training program and identify facility employees that require training. 

SCI manufactures paints and coatings primarily for the steel and farm implement industry. SCI also blends raw materials onsite to create custom coatings. The violations were observed during April 2010, when inspectors from the EPA and the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control performed a Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Compliance Evaluation Inspection.

The settlement resolves several alleged violations that were noted during the inspection. The alleged violations include:

• Improper management of hazardous waste containers on site;
• Failure to provide a sufficient base beneath containers which held hazardous waste;
• Failure to make a hazardous waste determination;
• Failure to inspect all areas where hazardous waste containers are stored weekly;
• Failure to develop personnel training program to ensure compliance with hazardous waste management’s;
• Failure to update information contained in the contingency plan, along with failing to make arrangements with local police and hospital authorities regarding the contingency plan and submitting copies of the contingency plan to first responders.

SCI implemented the process changes to reduce the risk of release from hazardous waste containers.  The changes include: labeling all containers with the necessary information; reducing the number of locations where short term storage occurs; changing container sizing and completing all necessary waste determinations.  SCI also applied a non-porous sealant to the base floor surface where the majority of hazardous waste containers are staged during regular operations. 

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