  |
|
|
Department of Ecology News Release - November 23, 2004
04-212
SPOKANE - The Kaiser Aluminum Company has been fined $40,000 by the Department of Ecology (Ecology) for discharging large amounts of PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) into the Spokane River from its facility at Trentwood.
During the months of November and December 2002, monitoring reports show that Kaiser discharged harmful quantities of PCBs into the Spokane River on at least four days. The amount discharged on the days monitored was greater than 1,000 times the amount of PCBs normally expected from the facility.
The amount of PCBs discharged greatly exceeds water-quality limits set to protect human health. Kaiser also violated conditions of an approved engineering report and failed to adequately report PCB monitoring results.
"Our goal is to focus on the PCBs in the Kaiser Trentwood system and make sure this never happens again," said Jim Bellatty, who manages Ecology's water-quality program in Spokane. "Since this incident, monitoring shows the concentrations of PCBs have been greatly reduced."
Ecology issued an order last week, prior to issuing the fine, requiring the company to find out where the PCBs are coming from and stop the source. Kaiser also must improve its system for reporting monitoring results and increase monitoring if PCB levels increase again.
PCBs are a family of human-made, chlorinated chemical compounds that were once used in a variety of industrial and commercial applications. PCBs bind to the sediment that attaches to the walls of sewer pipes, where it is released to the environment over time.
PCBs build up in the fatty tissues of the body, and are a known carcinogen. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency banned commercial production of PCBs in 1979.
The company may appeal the penalty and order to Ecology and/or the Pollution Control Hearings Board within 30 days.
###
Media contact: Jani Gilbert, public information manager, 509-329-3495; pager, 509-622-3073
Copyright © Washington State Department of Ecology. See http://www.ecy.wa.gov/copyright.html.
