E.P.A. Settlement with Baltimore Companies Helps Provide Safe Handling of Hazardous Waste

PHILADELPHIA (Jan. 29, 2014) -- American Plating Service, Incorporated and Monument Street Properties LLC have agreed to pay a $5,000 penalty to settle alleged violations of hazardous waste storage regulations at a commercial metal plating and finishing facility in Baltimore, the E.P.A. announced today.

In a separate arrangement with EPA, the companies further agreed to conduct a facility investigation including monitoring, testing and analytical activities to ascertain the nature and extent of any hazard to human health or the environment from the release of any hazardous waste from the facility. This facility, which is owned by Monument and operated by American Plating, is located at 4000 - 4008 East Monument St., Baltimore, Md.

E.P.A. cited the companies for violating the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), the federal law governing the treatment, storage, and disposal of hazardous waste. RCRA is designed to protect public health and the environment, and avoid costly cleanups, by requiring the safe, environmentally sound storage and disposal of hazardous waste.

During 2 RCRA compliance evaluation inspections of the facility, E.P.A. inspectors observed conditions and operating practices that could result in the potential release of hazardous waste to the air, soil, or surface water which could threaten human health and the environment.

The violations involved hazardous waste stored at the facility, including wastewater treatment sludges from electroplating operations, cyanide-containing spent zinc plating bath solution and ignitable plating bath residues.

The alleged violations included the failure to properly date and label containers of hazardous waste; improper management of hazardous waste containers; failure to provide and document required employee training in hazardous waste management; and failure to make timely hazardous waste determinations for several of the waste streams generated at the facility.

As part of these settlements, the 2 companies have agreed to pay the monetary penalty, take specific corrective measures to return the facility to RCRA compliance, and conduct a RCRA Facility Investigation. The companies have neither admitted nor denied liability for the alleged violations.

For more information about hazardous waste and RCRA, visit http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/hazard/index.htm.

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