TMW Corp. faces $100,000 in EPA fines for violating hazardous waste regulations at its Van Nuys, Calif.-based metal plating facility.
The facility, which is part of the company’s Crown Chrome Plating division, operates as a metal plater for the aerospace industry. An April 2009 EPA inspection found that the facility violated the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act.
Specifically, EPA claims that TMW Corp. generated multiple hazardous wastes, including paint wastes, alkaline and acidic corrosive liquids and sludges containing heavy metals such as chromium and lead. These hazardous wastes, and the waste handling violations associated with them, are typical of those produced by metal plating shops, which often are the target of EPA enforcement actions.
“The toxic wastes and sludges at the Crown Chrome facility have the potential to pose a danger to employees, the surrounding community and the environment,” said Jared Blumenfeld, EPA’s Regional Administrator for the Pacific Southwest. “EPA is committed to enforcing the federal laws that require all companies to properly store and handle their hazardous wastes.”
EPA discovered the following violations at TMW’s facility:
- Storage of hazardous waste for over 90 days without a permit;
- Failure to conduct required inspections;
- Failure to train personnel or maintain training records;
- Failure to maintain required emergency communications equipment; and
- Failure to make a hazardous waste determination.
As a result of this enforcement action, TMW Corp. has returned to compliance with federal law and will pay a fine of $100,000.
EPA’s hazardous waste rules require facilities to properly store, label and close hazardous waste containers. Facilities also must have properly trained staff, as improperly stored hazardous waste can spill and pose a risk to workers and the environment. For more information on U.S. EPA’s hazardous waste program, visit http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/osw/hazwaste.htm.