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Major Bay Area Waste Management Providers Settle with U.S. EPA Following Multiple Federal Environmental Violations

Release Date: 05/20/2009
Contact Information: Mary Simms, (415) 947-4270, simms.mary@epa.gov

California Waste Solutions and American Metal and Iron, Inc fined more than $300,000 by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

(SAN FRANCISCO – 5/20/2009) Two large providers of waste management services in the Bay Area have settled with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for numerous violations of the Clean Water Act. California Waste Solutions, a company that provides waste management services for large portions of Oakland and San Jose will pay a $261,400 penalty. San Jose based scrap metal recycler American Metal and Iron, Inc, will pay a $45,000 penalty.

"Controlling storm water pollution is key to improving Bay Area water quality," said Alexis Strauss, Water Division Director for EPA's Pacific Southwest region. "Many tools to control storm water pollution are simply good housekeeping and continued maintenance."

In September 2007, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency filed complaints alleging that California Waste Solutions had violated its permit, discharging waste and other pollutants into nearby waterways at three facilities during the previous five years.

In September 2008, the EPA had also filed a complaint alleging violations at two American Metal and Iron, Inc facilities in San Jose. Violations at AMI include discharges of storm water without a NPDES permit and failure to comply with permit terms after obtaining coverage. Violations of the permit’s terms include failure to monitor storm water discharges and failure to implement adequate controls to prevent the discharge of pollutants into nearby Coyote Creek.

Storm water is a national priority for the EPA. Storm water runoff from urban areas can include a variety of pollutants, such as sediment, bacteria, organic nutrients, hydrocarbons, metals, oil and grease. Discharges of these pollutants can harm the environment and public health.

The Clean Water Act requires waste management companies to have controls in place to prevent pollutants from being discharged with storm water into nearby waterways. They must have a storm water pollution prevention plan that sets guidelines and best management practices to follow, to prevent runoff from being contaminated by pollutants.

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