All News Releases By Date

Georgia Company Settles Hazardous Waste Violations at Hancock, Md. Auto Parts Facility

Release Date: 06/12/2009
Contact Information: Donna Heron 215-814-5113 / heron.donna@epa.gov

PHILADELPHIA (June 12 , 2009) – Genuine Parts Company has paid a $43,000 penalty to settle alleged violations of hazardous waste regulations at Rayloc, its auto parts rebuilding facility, 100 Rayloc Dr., Hancock, Md., the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced today.

EPA cited Genuine Parts Company, headquartered in Atlanta, for violating the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), the federal law governing the treatment, storage, and disposal of hazardous waste. RCRA is designed to protect public health and the environment, and avoid costly cleanups, by requiring the safe, environmentally sound storage and disposal of hazardous waste.

Following a May 2008 inspection, EPA cited the company for RCRA violations involving hazardous waste stored at the facility, including cadmium-contaminated clean-out debris stored in 55-gallon containers.

The alleged violations included:

* operating a hazardous waste storage facility without a permit or interim status,
* failing to submit a timely biennial report to the Maryland Department of the Environment concerning hazardous waste generated during the 2007 calendar year,
* failing to keep containers of hazardous waste closed during storage,
* failing to perform weekly inspection of hazardous waste container storage area to check for leaks and deterioration of containers,
* failure to transfer hazardous waste out of containers that were in poor condition.

The alleged violations involve storage and recordkeeping violations, and not discharges of hazardous waste. The $43,000 settlement penalty reflects the companys compliance efforts, and its cooperation with EPA in the investigation and resolution of this matter. As part of the settlement, Genuine Parts Company has neither admitted nor denied liability for the alleged violations, but has certified its compliance with applicable RCRA requirements.

For more information about hazardous waste and RCRA, visit https://www.epa.gov/epawaste/index.htm