EPA v. SPECIALTY MATTERIALS INC

Case summary

Region 1 filed an administrative complaint against Specialty Materials Business Trust d/b/a Specialty Materials, Inc. for alleged violations of RCRA, the federal hazardous waste management regulations, and the hazardous waste rules for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Specialty Materials, Inc., manufactures fiber products and composite materials that are used in aerospace, sporting, and industrial applications at a facility located in Lowell, Massachusetts. The complaint alleges 14 violations of hazardous waste management regulations, and orders the facility to come into compliance with the various requirements within 60 days, in accordance with a prescribed schedule. This enforcement action is expected to encourage compliance in the regulated community with RCRA and to help protect public health and the environment by promoting the proper management of hazardous wastes. The consent agreement and final order resolves fourteen violations of RCRA hazardous waste regulations. Specialty Materials Business Trust manufactures fiber products and composite materials that are used in aerospace, sporting and industrial applications at a facility located in Lowell, Massachusetts. Hazardous wastewater contaminated with mercury, methyl ethyl ketone, resin and solids contaminated with acetone, isopropyl alcohol, various flammable liquids, waste epoxy and adhesive cleaner, and aerosols. The violations, documented during an inspection in July 2014, included the failure to close containers of hazardous waste; properly label hazardous waste, mark containers with the accumulation date; maintain adequate aisle space where hazardous wastes are stored prevention measures; prevent accidental ignition of ignitable waste; have and install adequate hazardous waste inspection program; maintain containers of hazardous waste; segregate containers of incompatible hazardous waste and materials; store hazardous waste for no more than ninety days or obtain a license; maintain an adequate contingency plan; a hazardous training plan, and provide hazardous waste training to personnel. After inspection, Specialty Materials brough its facility into compliance with the hazardous waste management requirements. Specialty Materials has agreed to pay a reduced penalty based on an ability to pay analysis conducted by the region, to resolve the RCRA violations.

Defendants (1)

• SPECIALTY MATERIALS INC (SB)Named in complaintNamed in settlement

Facilities (1)

• SPECIALTY MATERIALS

  1449 MIDDLESEX STREET, LOWELL, MA, 01851

  Registry ID: 110041592755

Statutes cited

• RCRA 3002 — Standards Applicable to Generators of Hazardous Waste

Enforcement conclusions (1)

• SPECIALTY MATTERIALS INCentered 2016-09-14

  Primary law: RCRA

  Federal penalty: $150,000

Timeline (3 milestones)

• 2016-01-21Complaint Filed/Proposed Order
• 2016-01-21Enforcement Action Data Entered
• 2016-09-14Final Order Issued