Powercon Corp. settles hazardous waste violations at Severn, Md. facility | WPN World People News

Powercon Corporation has agreed to pay a $40,000 penalty to settle alleged violations of hazardous waste regulations at its manufacturing facility in Severn, Md., the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced on November 19. As part of the settlement, Powercon has also implemented a recycling project that will significantly reduce its hazardous waste.

The settlement addresses compliance with environmental regulations that help protect communities and the environment from potential exposure to hazardous waste.

EPA cited Powercon 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 long and extensive cleanups, by requiring the safe, environmentally sound storage and disposal of hazardous waste.

The alleged violations included failure to: conduct weekly inspections of hazardous waste storage areas; comply with personnel training and recordkeeping requirements; comply with contingency plan and maintenance requirements; and properly label universal waste batteries.

In addition to the $40,000 penalty, Powercon has agreed to complete a “supplemental environmental project” exceeding the requirements of federal and state environmental regulations. The company will spend about $2,700 to install a fluid management system that will allow the reuse of some chemicals from its manufacturing process. This project will reduce the largest source of hazardous waste generated at the facility.

The settlement penalty reflects the company’s compliance efforts, and its cooperation with EPA in the investigation and resolution of this matter. As part of the settlement, Powercon has not admitted liability for the alleged violations, but has certified its compliance with applicable RCRA requirements.

Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency