U.S. E.P.A. settles with East Bay MUD over hazardous waste violations

SAN FRANCISCO - The E.P.A. announced a settlement with East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) for improper management of hazardous waste at its Oakland wastewater treatment plant. The public utility agreed to pay a $99,900 penalty.

E.P.A. conducted a location inspection at EBMUD wastewater treatment plant in 2014 under the federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) and found that the facility accepted shipments of regulated hazardous wastes without proper permitting. In addition, the facility failed to label certain containers of hazardous waste. Since the inspection, EBMUD has returned to compliance.

"EPA's oversight role is pivotal to ensuring compliance with hazardous waste laws," said Jared Blumenfeld, E.P.A. Regional Administrator for the Pacific Southwest. "The state permitting process must be followed to have the necessary safeguards in place."

Over the course of 2 years, EBMUD accepted the waste to use as feedstock for its innovative waste-to-energy conversion system. EBMUD supplies water to 1.3 million customers in Alameda and Contra Costa counties and operates a plant that treats wastewater before it is discharged to San Francisco Bay.

E.P.A. routinely conducts inspections in its oversight role to ensure adequate state implementation of RCRA. EPA's findings in this case were provided to its regulatory partners at the state and local levels to help enhance their hazardous waste management inspection and enforcement program.

For more information about the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, please visit: http://www2.epa.gov/compliance/resource-conservation-and-recovery-act-rcra-compliance-monitoring

For more information about how to apply for a hazardous waste permit, please visit: http://www2.epa.gov/hwpermitting

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