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U.S. District Court Judge James Cain Jr. of the Western District of Louisiana recently approved a $3.5 million settlement in a creosote contamination case. The settlement resolves claims against Anadarko Petroleum Corp. and Occidental Petroleum Corp, owned by Shreveport Creosoting Company and International Paper Co. (IP), respectively. “The settlement, which benefits a class of local […]
The EPA recently announced a proposed settlement with PPG Industries, Inc., to design and perform a $15.8 million cleanup at the Riverside Industrial Park Superfund site on the bank of the Passaic River in Newark, New Jersey. Under the proposed settlement, the company will also pay the $2.9 million the EPA previously spent at the […]
Reports are due by March 1, 2024, for facilities subject to Biennial Hazardous Waste and Tier II Hazardous Chemical Inventory Reporting regulations. Biennial Hazardous Waste Reporting Biennial hazardous waste reports are used to compile data on the generation, management, and minimization of hazardous waste. Facilities required to report: Large quantity generators (LGQ), or those that […]
In the fourth quarter (Q4), the EPA finalized 206 settlement agreements with companies small and large across the United States. This represents a significant decrease in enforcement actions—down from 515 penalties—issued in Q3 for 2023. The actions taken resulted in $4,289,749.25 in fines. Here are some of the highlights. CAA violations yield biggest fine from […]
The EPA recently announced it’s planning to propose new rules to improve the management and recycling of end-of-life solar panels and lithium batteries. Plans for the proposed regulations include modifying the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Universal Waste Rule to add hazardous waste solar panels and to establish a new, distinct category of universal […]
On episode 176 of EHS On Tap, Zach Pucillo, EHS Compliance Manager at KPA, talks about best practices for handling hazardous materials.
On May 24, 2023, the EPA issued guidance for correctly applying hazardous waste and recycling regulations in the disposal of lithium-ion batteries. These types of batteries are used in cars, electronics, lawnmowers, e-scooters, electric bicycles, and many other devices, and usage of these types of batteries continues to increase. “The growth of the circular economy […]
The EPA and an Alaska hospital recently entered into an Expedited Settlement Agreement and Final Order to resolve alleged Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) hazardous waste regulations violations. The EPA inspected the facility May 11–12, 2022, and identified several violations. This particular case highlights the importance of understanding waste accumulation requirements. Storage of hazardous […]
Over 2 months later, cleanup continues after a fiery February 3, 2023, train derailment in Ohio. At the time, Norfolk Southern reported that an unknown number of the 150 train cars had derailed, but 20 of the cars were listed as carrying hazardous materials. Five of the derailed cars were loaded with vinyl chloride, which […]
The EPA released its 2021 Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) National Analysis on March 16, 2023. The analysis data reveals that environmental releases of TRI chemicals from facilities covered by the program remained below pre-pandemic levels, and releases in 2021 are 10% lower than 2012 releases, even with an 8% increase from 2020 to 2021. Additionally, […]