EPA v. Tropical Cleaners And Launderers, Inc. d/b/a Tropical Cleaners

Case summary

Respondents operated a dry cleaning facility and treated or disposed (burned) hazardous waste on-site in an urban and residential section of the town of Christiansted without having obtained a permit or qualifying for interim status. In addition, Respondents released mercury vapor to the atmosphere through the discarding of spent fluorescent light bulbs as trash in the regular garbage; operationed antiquated dry cleaning equipment resulting in venting flammable, spent petroleum solvents to the atmosphere; always left open a petroleum solvent storage tank allowing evaporation of flammable petroleum solvent inside the facility and eventually to the atmosphere; and stored approximately 600 gallons of diesel and petroleum solvents in the back yard of the facility, exposed to weather, with no functional secondary containment designed to prevent leaks and spills from reaching the soil. This Case Action seeks to bring a halt to the aforementioned activities

Defendants (3)

• Tropical Cleaners (SB)Named in complaintNamed in settlement
• Tropical Cleaners And Launderers, Inc. d/b/a TropiNamed in complaintNamed in settlement
• Bhola, KrisendatNamed in complaintNamed in settlement

Facilities (1)

• TROPICAL CLEANERS & LAUNDERERS INC

  16 & 17 KING CROSS ST, CHRISTIANSTED, VI, 00820

  Registry ID: 110005293191

Statutes cited

• RCRA 3002 — Standards Applicable to Generators of Hazardous Waste

Enforcement conclusions (1)

• Tropical Cleaners And Launderers, Inc. d/b/a Tropical Cleanersentered 2006-02-09

  Primary law: RCRA

  Federal penalty: $5,000 · SEP: $54,698

Timeline (4 milestones)

• 2005-06-30Complaint Filed/Proposed Order
• 2005-07-26Enforcement Action Data Entered
• 2006-02-09Enforcement Action Closed
• 2006-02-09Final Order Issued