The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a settlement with Automation Plating Corporation over federal hazardous waste violations at their metal finishing facility in Glendale. Under the settlement, the company will pay a $49,706 civil penalty.
“Metal plating facilities must ensure they comply with hazardous waste laws to prevent harm to workers and the surrounding community,” said EPA Pacific Southwest regional administrator John Busterud. “Improper management of hazardous waste can lead to fires, explosions or release of hazardous waste into the environment.”
EPA inspected the Glendale facility in 2019 with the Glendale Fire Department. The inspection identified violations of federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) regulations.
As a result of the inspection, EPA determined that Automation Plating Corporation:
•Failed to make a hazardous waste determination for certain wastes generated at the facility.
•Failed to prepare a manifest for shipment of hazardous waste.
•Stored hazardous waste without a permit beyond the 90 days allowed.
•Failed to comply with the labeling requirement for some hazardous waste containers.
•Failed to keep a hazardous waste container closed.
The facility has since resolved these violations.
In addition to paying the penalty, the facility also agreed to develop and implement a standard operating procedure for inspecting and maintaining containment systems associated with plating operations, including but not limited to: preventing debris from accumulating; inspecting for cracks in and deterioration of secondary containment systems; and ensuring epoxy coatings are inspected and repaired.
Metal finishers use a plating or anodizing process to coat industrial metal, and typically generate hazardous wastes including: sludges containing heavy metals such as chromium, cadmium, and lead; spent plating solutions containing metals or cyanides; flammable liquids; and both alkaline and acidic corrosive liquids. U.S. law requires metal finishing companies to properly manage hazardous waste to prevent harm to human health and the environment and to prevent costly cleanups.
Published in the December 2020 Edition
