EPA v. U.S. Ecology

Case summary

On September 30, 2010, EPA entered into a Consent Agreement and Final Order (CAFO) for 18 Counts of RCRA hazardous waste violations and polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) violations at its permitted treatment, storage and disposal facility located near Beatty, NV. Many of the RCRA violations were associated with a unit designed to thermally treat contaminated materials (e.g., soils) to remove hazardous constituents, including releases to the air. The PCB violations included releases of PCBs inside and outside the storage building. This settlement was a result of inspections conducted in 2007 and 2008 as part of EPA’s responsibility to ensure that facilities which accept SFund wastes are operating in compliance with the regulations and Permit. US Ecology will pay a penalty of $497,982.

Defendants (1)

• US Ecology, Inc.Named in complaintNamed in settlement

Facilities (1)

• US ECOLOGY INCORPORATED

  HIGHWAY 95, BEATTY, NV, 89003

  Registry ID: 110000600920

Statutes cited

• RCRA 3002 — Standards Applicable to Generators of Hazardous Waste
• RCRA 3013 — Monitoring, Analysis, Testing
• RCRA 3005 — Permits for Treatment, Storage, or Disposal of Hazardous Waste
• RCRA 3007 — Record keeping, Inspection, Information Request
• TSCA 6-PCBS — PCBS
• RCRA 3004 — Hazardous Waste Treatment, Storage, and Disposal Standards

Enforcement conclusions (1)

• U.S. Ecologyentered 2010-09-30

  Primary law: RCRA

  Federal penalty: $497,982

Timeline (4 milestones)

• 2010-09-30Enforcement Action Data Entered
• 2010-09-30Final Order Issued
• 2010-09-30Enforcement Action Closed
• 2010-09-30Complaint Filed/Proposed Order