EPA Enforcement Roundup: Week of 10/28

The EPA Enforcement Roundup gives you insight into how and why US EPA and State partners assess penalties for environmental noncompliance. 

All violations or claims discussed below are alleged only unless we say otherwise, and we withhold the names of organizations and individuals to protect their privacy.

Your EPA Enforcement Roundup for this week:

A large cruise line operator faces a $473,685 penalty for alleged hazardous waste management errors.

US EPA inspected a Texas port on December 6, 2022, and alleges that one pier was being used to illegally offload waste from eight different vessels belonging to the company. Additional research revealed that the company did this from July 2019 to 2024. The Agency also claims that the company failed to:

• Revise its RCRA 3010 notifications.
• File accurate biennial reports.
• Keep adequate records of hazardous waste determinations.
• Comply with the land disposal restrictions for the incinerator ash.
• Comply with the obligations of a large quantity generator.

In addition to the civil penalty, this settlement requires the company to maintain proper documentation of wastes it offloads, manifest accurately the amount of hazardous waste it offloads into US ports and ensure the segregation of waste aligns with RCRA regulations.

An oil & gas company faces $223,868 for alleged hazardous waste management violations at its Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, facility.

The company operates a large oil field in Alaska. At the site, EPA says the company failed to:

• Train facility personnel.
• Make a hazardous waste determination.
• Send hazardous waste to a designated facility.
• Place waste in satellite accumulation containers.
• Mark or label hazardous waste.

A variety retailer settled with US EPA to resolve alleged violations of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, Rodenticide Act.

The Agency claims that the company imported and distributed 23 types of unregistered pesticides and two misbranded pesticide devices. EPA requires importers to file a Notice of Arrival before pesticides or pesticide devices arrive in the US. The company agreed to pay a $314,747 penalty.

Complete Environmental Regulations Training

Want a clearer idea of how major EPA air, water, and chemical programs all fit together to affect your site's activities? Join in on the next Complete Environmental Regulations Webinar on December 19–20 at Lion.com.

EH&S professionals who attend can identify the regulations that apply to their facility and locate key requirements to achieve compliance with the Clean Air and Clean Water Acts to EPCRA, TSCA, Superfund, and more. Prefer to train at your own pace? Try the interactive online course.

Tags: EPA Enforcement Roundup, FIFRA, hazardous waste management, RCRA