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Philip Services Corporation Reaches $120,000 Settlement With EPA Following Chemical Release in Tacoma

Release Date: 2/3/2000
Contact Information: Suzzanne Powers and Jeff Philip
philip.jeff@epamail.epa.gov
(206) 553-1465

February 3, 2000 - - - - - - - - - - 00-06


A settlement has been reached between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Philip Services Corporation (1701 Alexander Avenue, Tacoma) concerning the Company’s reporting violations following a chemical release at their facility on June 26, 1998 that injured several people and caused the evacuation of neighboring businesses.

Under terms of the agreement signed in Seattle, Philip Services will pay $60,000 in cash and provide an additional $60,000 worth of household hazardous waste disposal to their local community.

According to Mike Gearheard, Director of EPA’s hazardous waste clean up and emergency response program in Seattle, reporting violations are critical to both human health and safety and environmental protection.

“Any company that handles dangerous or toxic chemicals has a serious responsibility to immediately report certain spills or releases,” Gearheard said. “Emergency responders and emergency management personnel depend on timely, accurate information to protect workers, neighbors, and the environment. It’s not just a ‘paperwork’ problem, it can be a matter of life or death.”

Under federal law, all facilities that handle, transport, store or generate prescribed quantities of toxic chemicals or hazardous waste have both state and federal specific reporting and notification requirements immediately following a spill or accidental release.

In the case of Philip Services Corporation, on
June 26, 1998, approximately 641 pounds of nitrogen dioxide gas was released into the air from a tank. A neighboring business called the Fire Department to report the release and several workers at nearby facilities who were injured by fumes went to the hospital, where they were treated for breathing problems. Despite the severity of the incident, Philips Services officials failed to notify both state and federal response centers -- as required under the law -- until the next day. This hampered local emergency response efforts and delayed evacuation of several nearby buildings, putting response personnel, other workers, and neighbors unnecessarily at risk.

In addition to the penalty, Philip Services has agreed to provide a Supplementary Environmental Project(SEP) under the settlement. The SEP was designed to encourage and obtain environmental and public health protection by removing hazardous waste from the community. Valued at $60,000 in the settlement, the SEP answers both Environmental Justice and Pollution Prevention and Reduction concerns in the community. The Company has agreed to provide household hazardous waste collection, treatment and disposal services for Pierce and surrounding counties. It is hoped that this service will reduce the amount of improperly disposed household hazardous wastes in the community surrounding the facility, as well as provide educational opportunities to encourage residents to reduce chemical use, recycle more, and properly dispose of hazardous household chemicals. The project was enthusiastically supported by local community leaders who were consulted during the settlement negotiations.