  |
|
|
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - August 12, 1997
97-142
CONTACT: Jani Gilbert, Public Information Officer (509) 456-4464
Polly Zehm, Section Manager, Hazardous Waste & Toxics Reduction Program (509)
454-7659
Kennewick, WA - After six months of negotiations, the K-Mart Corporation and the Washington State Department of Ecology have agreed that K-Mart will pay a penalty of $48,000 to the state for improper disposal of dangerous waste at the Kennewick store. The disposal of hazardous chemicals into the store's compactor/dumpster resulted in a chemical fire, a release of chlorine gas, and the evacuation of the store twice in late October 1996. The settlement includes assurances of updated procedures for dealing with dangerous chemicals at the K-Mart store in Kennewick. The K-Mart Corporation has also agreed to improve and enhance its efforts to train employees throughout Washington State.
"K-Mart appealed Ecology's original penalty of $53,000 and we settled on $48,000 because we felt satisfied that the Kennewick K-Mart had taken steps to ensure the safety of their employees and the environment," explained Program Manager Greg Sorlie, with Ecology's hazardous waste and toxics reduction program.
K-Mart and other retail stores have a responsibility to know how the state's dangerous waste rules apply to them, and to train their employees on the proper disposal of chemicals. Dangerous waste must be taken to a facility that is designed and permitted to handle it safely.
Disposing of the chemicals into a regular dumpster means they will go to the solid waste landfill where they can harm the health of landfill workers and pollute the air, soil and ground water. Solid waste landfills cannot safely handle these types of waste.
On October 25, 1996, a K-Mart employee disposed of pool chemicals along with other flammable, toxic and corrosive wastes in the store's compactor. When they were compacted, some of the chemicals mixed and reacted, resulting in a fire and release of chlorine gas. The store was evacuated as a precaution. Chlorine gas burns lung tissue and at strong concentrations can cause death. The next day the store was evacuated again because another bag of pool chemicals reacted, caught on fire, and released a second cloud of chlorine gas.
"Because of this unfortunate incident, we are planning a technical assistance campaign to make sure that major retail outlets in central Washington fully understand the state's dangerous waste rules," said Polly Zehm, Ecology's hazardous waste section supervisor in Yakima.
"We're hoping that other department stores have looked at their procedures for handling products that could be dangerous to the environment and to people," Zehm said. "If not, during this campaign we can help managers to learn how to set up a proper program so there are no more accidents.
Copyright © Washington State Department of Ecology. See http://www.ecy.wa.gov/copyright.html.
