Business & Tech
Newark Company Faces Environmental Fines
The firm could be forced to pay $25,000 to $70,000 per day for each violation.
NEWARK, CA — State regulators are seeking tens of thousands of dollars in penalties from a company that treats hazardous waste in Newark, officials with California Department of Toxic Substances Control said.
Regulators are seeking fines of $25,000 to $70,000 per day for each violation by Safety-Kleen at 6880 Smith Ave. Safety-Kleen is owned by Clean Harbors, which is also facing penalties for waste violations at operations in Los Angeles County.
Regulators are also taking legal action against Emerald Transformer Los Angeles LLC and Clean Harbors Environmental Services Inc. in connection with violations at a used oil recycler that Clean Harbors sold to Emerald Transformer four years ago.
Find out what's happening in Newarkfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
"Companies that handle hazardous waste in California must do so safely, and they must follow the laws that are put in place to protect the public and the environment," DTSC Director Meredith Williams said. "We will continue to rigorously inspect these types of operations and will file enforcement actions when appropriate."
In Newark, Safety-Kleen allegedly put thousands of gallons of liquids containing hazardous waste into an unlined, below-ground concrete basin that wasn't permitted for storing such waste.
Find out what's happening in Newarkfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
The company allegedly moved 3,400 gallons of oily water sludge to a container not authorized for holding it. Safety-Kleen allegedly also allowed oil to spill on the ground from leaky pipes.
The company allegedly did not get approval from the DTSC to install a filtration unit and tanks.
The company is alleged to have filed a required report more than four months late, failed to collect and analyze required samples, and among other things, submitted tank certifications late.
How much Clean Harbor will have to pay isn't clear.
"The judge will ultimately determine that figure based on evidence introduced at trial," DTSC spokesman Sanford Nax said.
Clean Harbors operates in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and Puerto Rico. The facilities in Los Angeles County and Newark provide services that include handling, recycling, and disposal of hazardous waste.
A spokesman for Clean Harbors did not respond to a request for comment Friday morning. Emerald Transformer did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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