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Saco, Maine Metal Finishing Company to Pay Fine for Hazardous Waste Violations

Release Date: 02/17/2011
Contact Information: David Deegan, (617) 918-1017

(Boston, Mass. – Feb. 17, 2011) – A metal finishing and electroplating facility in Saco, Maine, has agreed to pay $38,250 to settle claims it violated state and federal hazardous waste laws.

Southern Maine Specialties violated state hazardous waste laws as well as the federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act by improper storage, labeling and other management of hazardous waste, as well as by not providing adequate employee training, according to the settlement between EPA and the company.

The complaint grew out of an inspection of the facility in January 2010 by EPA. After the inspection, Southern Maine quickly brought its facility into compliance with state and federal waste management laws.

The specific violations against Southern Maine included:

• failing to determine whether waste generated on-site was hazardous;
• storing containers of hazardous waste next to incompatible material;
• failing to provide required hazardous waste management training for employees;
• failing to manage hazardous wastes in accordance with requirements by storing two 55-gallon containers of sodium hydroxide sludge together, in excess of the 55-gallon limit for hazardous waste accumulation areas;
• storing hazardous waste in a tank that was not designed for that purpose and that was not being managed in accordance the required tank operating standards.          

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