Waste Disposal Firm Fined $76,000 for Improper Waste Handling

Washington State Department of Ecology

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 20, 1996
96-145

CONTACT:
Kay Seiler (360) 407-6341
Renee Guillierie (360) 407-6239 Pager (360) 786-3136

Waste Disposal Firm Fined $76,000 for Improper Waste Handling

LACEY, WA -- The Department of Ecology has issued a $76,000 penalty against Waste Disposal, Inc., and its owner John Pike of Tacoma for repeatedly and intentionally mishandling hazardous wastes in Pierce County. Pike's primary business was hauling waste oil and water or soil contaminated with oil.

"Mr. Pike risked the health and well-being of his employees and others by continually failing to identify the hazardous wastes he hauled and stored. He damaged the environment by storing wastes without safeguards. He did this despite getting information, assistance and warnings from Ecology more than 20 times," said Dan Silver, Ecology assistant director for waste management.

Under continuing oversight from Ecology, Pike recently sold his equipment and disposed of wastes stored at 99th St. and Portland Ave. "Soil contamination has been cleaned up at sites in Orting and on Lakeview Avenue as well as at 104th Street South," said Ecology inspector Nicky Rushing. "We believe these areas are no longer a threat to the environment or the public."

The penalty issued today cites the following violations:

Transporting about 1,000 gallons of contaminated sludge without identification. The sludge was contaminated with tetrachloroethylene, also known as "perc", a chemical used in dry cleaning. It is highly toxic to animals and humans and is considered a possible carcinogen.
Storing about 20,000 gallons of dangerous wastes without proper identification at the Portland Ave. storage site. Materials found in unlabeled and mislabeled drums and tanks included ink and paint wastes that are flammable and waste oil contaminated with "perc".
Storing wastes at a transfer facility too long. Haulers must dispose of the hazardous wastes they collect within 10 days to prevent stockpiling where leaks and spills can contaminate soil and groundwater and accidents can endanger workers and the public. Wastes at the Portland Ave. site that were identified well enough for Ecology to track had been stored there from a month to almost a year.

"Hazardous wastes pose real threats to people and the environment. That's why they must always be identified, from generation to final disposal, and not held indefinitely in temporary storage. We will help people learn the law and comply with it. But if they refuse to do this, like Mr. Pike did, they will be held accountable," said Silver.

Ecology won't take legal action against persons known to have used Pike's services because the generators didn't know the regulations and acted in good faith, said Silver. But he warned generators of hazardous wastes to make sure their hauler is reliable, because generators are also responsible to ensure that their wastes are disposed of properly.

Pike has operated under different names including Waste Disposal, Inc., Industrial Lubricants and Orting Industrial Lubricants. He has collected wastes from businesses in Pierce, Grays Harbor, Jefferson, Kitsap and Whatcom counties.

Earlier this year, the Port of Grays Harbor and Ecology disposed of 150,000 gallons of benzene-contaminated wastewater and sludge in a tank Pike used without permission at the Port's tank farm in Aberdeen. Pike later reimbursed the Port for disposal and cleanup.