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Saipan quarry may pay penalties for hazardous waste violations

Release Date: 03/23/2006
Contact Information: Dean Higuchi, 808-541-2711, higuchi.dean@epa.gov

(03/23/06) HONOLULU – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently filed a complaint to determine penalties and enforce compliance against JG Sablan Rock Quarry, Inc. for storing used oil in corroded and leaking drums at its Lower Base facility in Saipan.

The company failed to comply with an EPA order issued in May requiring the proper management and disposal of used oil and hazardous waste.

“Failure to comply with hazardous waste regulations endangers both human health and the environment and will not be tolerated,” said Jeff Scott, director of Waste Programs for the EPA Pacific Southwest Region.

The company violated the EPA’s spill prevention rules by storing used oil in corroded and leaking containers; not marking containers of used oil; and failing to clean up spilled used oil.

The EPA also found the company did not properly manage waste batteries, mark or label universal waste, and clean up spills. In addition, it failed to train employees in the proper handling and the accumulation time limits for hazardous waste.

In March 2005, EPA inspectors discovered 2,000-gallons of used oil and 85 severely corroded and leaking 55-gallon containers of used oil inside of the facility’s secondary containment area. The inspectors also found soil heavily stained with oil under and around 50 additional containers, along with many other leaking containers, vehicles, and lead acid batteries throughout the facility.

For more information on universal waste and used oil please visit: https://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/hazwaste/id/univwast/index.htm, https://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/hazwaste/usedoil/index.htm

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