News Releases from Region 01

Waste Management Company Settles Alleged PCB Violations Under Agreement with EPA

Contact Information: John Senn (senn.john@epa.gov) (617) 918-1019

HARTFORD, Conn. – Under an agreement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Clean Harbors of Connecticut, Inc., has agreed to pay $58,338 to settle two counts of allegedly violating federal PCB regulations at the company's Bristol, Connecticut facility. Clean Harbors, which provides hazardous and non-hazardous waste management services, is now operating in compliance with federal laws regulating toxic chemicals at the Bristol facility.

"It's imperative that entities like Clean Harbors adhere to federal hazardous waste laws in order to protect public health and the environment," said EPA New England Regional Administrator Dennis Deziel. "Cleanup companies must take the time needed to properly analyze waste like PCBs so that it is disposed of in the appropriate manner."

The case stems from a self-reported incident of non-compliance, pursuant to federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act permit. It involved improper manifesting of PCB remediation waste resulting from a transformer spill as non-hazardous and improper disposal at a facility in New York based on field screening testing alone.

Federal PCB regulations include prohibitions of and requirements for the use, disposal, storage and marking of PCBs and items that have come in contact with PCBs.

The regulations are meant to reduce the potential for harm and to track PCBs from use to disposal. The violations at the Clean Harbors facility were significant given the quantity and concentrations of PCBs involved.