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Department of Ecology News Release - August 29, 2001
01-151
OLYMPIA - Simpson Timber Company in Shelton has been fined $16,000 by the state Department of Ecology (Ecology) for allowing 71 gallons of soluble lube oil to spill into Oakland Bay in April.
The spill occurred when a pressurized hose ruptured in a sawmill that sits on pilings over the bay.
The spill was preventable because the system should not have been pressurized when the facility was not operating, according to Doug Stolz of Ecology's spill-response program.
He said the penalty also was based on the Shelton plant's prior history of spills. The plant has had 13 previous spills in the past six years, four of which involved oil that spilled inside the building and then into the bay.
If a containment system had been built into the flooring of the building, most or all of the oil would not have reached the bay, Stolz said. Oil leaked directly through the floor boards and into the bay. Simpson's cleanup began immediately after the spill was discovered, but the efforts were hampered due to misunderstanding about the oil's characteristics, Stolz said. Because the oil was labeled as "soluble," Simpson's initial cleanup approach was inadequate.
"It is often believed by industry that soluble or biodegradable oils are safe for the environment, but that is untrue," said Stolz. "These products still contain petroleum products and cause as much damage to the environment as any other oil product."
Ecology informed Simpson that much of the oil was still recoverable and immediately hired Foss Environmental to finish the cleanup.
"Since the spill, Simpson has relocated all petroleum products away from areas of the mill that overhang the bay," said Larry Gill, environmental and engineering manager for the Simpson plant. "Elsewhere in the plant, we also have revised our oil-pump shutdown procedures and stepped up our regular equipment inspections."
Simpson may file an application for relief from the penalty with Ecology within 15 days and/or may file an appeal within 30 days with the state Pollution Control Hearings Board.
Contact: Sandy Howard, public information manager, 360-407-6239
Ecology spills program Web site: http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/spills/spills.html
Copyright © Washington State Department of Ecology. See http://www.ecy.wa.gov/copyright.html.
