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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 19, 1996
96-144b
CONTACT:
Ron Holcomb pager (360) 956-8464
Renee Guillierie (360) 407-6329
HAZARDOUS WASTE REMOVED FROM VANCOUVER BUILDING
LACEY, WA -- Today more than 1,700 containers of various sizes of hazardous waste left the Permalume Plastics building in Vancouver, headed for disposal at facilities in Washougal, Washington and Arlington, Oregon. The wastes included more than 2,000 gallons of liquids that contain flammable wastes. The removal ends the threat of toxic releases and fire.
John Grems of Vancouver owns the building, located at 5015 N.E. 78th St. Until about two years ago, he manufactured a roofing compound there. The building has holes in the roof and floor. According to the Vancouver Fire Department, the building was used by transients and several small fires had been set there.
Ecology began removing the wastes on October 30. The entire cleanup will cost approximately $40,000 instead of the $15,000 originally estimated.
"Once we got in the building we found more hazardous wastes than we expected and most were in containers that were not labeled. It took almost a week to categorize and properly package the materials," explained spill responder Ron Holcomb, who oversaw the cleanup for the Washington Department of Ecology.
Wastes removed from the building included a variety of chemicals ranging from flammable materials like xylene to toxic substances such as PCBs. Other waste materials included paint products, pigments, aluminum paste, powders, resins and old roofing compound.
Ecology will pay for the cleanup from the state share of the Model Toxics Control Act tax, a tax on hazardous substances paid by manufacturers and users of these materials. Grems cooperated in the cleanup and has agreed to reimburse Ecology for the expenses.
Copyright © Washington State Department of Ecology. See http://www.ecy.wa.gov/copyright.html.
