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EPA Requires Hudson, NH Manufacturing Company to Pay a Fine and Make Hazardous Waste Operations Safer for Community

Release Date: 01/08/2014
Contact Information: Emily Zimmerman, 617-918-1037

(Boston, Mass) A manufacturer of printing equipment in Hudson, NH has agreed to pay a penalty of $116,000 to resolve claims by the US Environmental Protection Agency that it violated hazardous waste laws.

In an agreement signed recently with EPA’s New England office, Presstek, Inc. (Presstek) agreed to pay the penalty and to comply with the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA).

Last September, EPA filed a complaint against Presstek alleging violations of hazardous waste management laws. Its violations included: failure to comply with applicable hazardous waste air emission regulations; failure to implement an adequate hazardous waste personnel training program; and failure to maintain an adequate hazardous waste contingency plan.

Hazardous waste regulations under RCRA are designed to ensure that operating facilities manage hazardous wastes in an environmentally sound manner from “cradle to grave” in order to prevent releases that could pose risks to human health and the environment. Manufacturing facilities often generate hazardous wastes during production operations, and those wastes must be properly managed and disposed of. As part of its operations, Presstek generates hazardous wastes that include solvent-containing wastes, which are ignitable, and corrosive wastes.

Since EPA’s discovery of the alleged violations, Presstek has revised its hazardous waste contingency plan and personnel training program to comply with regulations resulting in a reduced likelihood of impact on the community in the event of an emergency, such as a fire, explosion or release. Presstek has also developed and is implementing a program to monitor and control air emissions from hazardous waste operations at the facility, which also reduces potential risk for the community.