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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - July 26, 1999
99-152
Contact: Sandy Howard, public information manager, 360-407-6239
OLYMPIA -- A hazardous-waste handling company in Tacoma that broke more than 50 state environmental regulations has been handed one of the state Department of Ecology’s largest penalties ever.
The Ecology Department (Ecology) issued a fine of $486,000 to CleanCare Corp. for violations in storing and managing hazardous substances and for an incident in which approximately 1,000-2,000 gallons of oily waste was recklessly spilled into a storm drain on March 26.
The oil entered the Lincoln Ave. ditch and followed the storm drain to Blair Waterway on Commencement Bay.
Along with the fine, Ecology ordered CleanCare Corp. to adhere to a firm schedule to bring its waste-handling and storage practices into compliance with state dangerous-waste regulations within one year.
The penalty amount is magnified due to the company’s exorbitant number of repeat violations and its recklessness in causing the March 26 spill, according to Greg Sorlie, who manages Ecology’s hazardous-waste program. The spill continued to pose a risk to the environment for more than two months until it was finally cleaned up June 8.
Ecology Director Tom Fitzsimmons said he was especially concerned that CleanCare’s actions threatened to undo progress toward cleaning Commencement Bay.
"We cannot afford to go backward on the Commencement Bay cleanup," said Fitzsimmons. "We have worked with dozens of businesses and invested many millions of dollars to clean up contamination and prevent additional pollution from entering the bay, and we want to see that progress respected and protected."
John Stetson, a division manager at Tacoma’s Sewer Utility, said "We’ve worked hard for a long time to keep our storm water and Commencement Bay as clean as possible. We have a storm-drain education program, a comprehensive source-control program and even monthly boat patrols, all designed to keep our waters clean. This violation is discouraging."
Ecology discovered scores of violations during inspections between June 1998 and March 1999. The violations included:
CleanCare Corp. is one of the few commercial hazardous-waste transportation, recycling and storage facilities in the state. Businesses throughout Washington use CleanCare to take care of their used oil, antifreeze, solvents and other wastes.
"Many businesses have placed a lot of confidence in CleanCare to handle their wastes responsibly. It’s ironic that a company whose name implies care and concern for the environment has shown such reckless behavior," Fitzsimmons said.
CleanCare Corp. has 30 days to appeal the order and penalty to the state Pollution Control Hearings Board.
Copyright © Washington State Department of Ecology. See http://www.ecy.wa.gov/copyright.html.
