EPA Fines Pacific Marine and Industrial Corp. $20,000 for Used Oil Violations

Company also agrees to spend over $68,000 for local environmental projects

03/25/08, HONOLULU – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reached a $20,000 settlement with Pacific Marine and Industrial Corp., for used oil and hazardous waste management violations at its power plant facility in Puerto Rico, Saipan.

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The company corrected the violations and also agreed to spend over $68,000 to conduct a series of environmental projects that will focus on used oil management including storage and spill prevention at commercial facilities.

“Proper management of used oil is imperative on an island like Saipan,” said Nancy Lindsay, acting director of Waste Programs for the EPA Pacific Southwest Region. “Spilled used oil can contaminate soil and poison ocean ecosystems. I am pleased that the company will implement environmental projects that will benefit the CNMI by training other facilities about proper used oil management, spill prevention and storage for proper disposal.”

Pacific Marine will:
* sponsor a used oil collection event for Saipan;
* purchase pollution prevention equipment for used oil management and spill prevention,
* conduct pollution prevention evaluations at four hotels in Saipan, and
* provide training to managers and workers on pollution prevention and used oil management.

EPA and CNMI Division of Environmental Quality inspectors discovered the violations during a routine inspection. The company also failed to notify the EPA of hazardous waste activity and properly mark or label containers of used oil. Other violations included failing to respond to a release of used oil, improper documentation, and lacking a certified spill response plan.

The EPA’s used oil and used battery rules require facilities to properly store wastes, and label and manage waste containers. Facilities must also take care to properly train employees to manage waste and to manage their used oil, as improperly stored used oil can potentially spill and pose a risk to workers and the environment.

For information about EPA's used oil requirements, please visit: http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/hazwaste/usedoil/index.htm.

For more info on CNMI DEQ's used oil program, please visit: http://www.deq.gov.mp/article.aspx?secID=7&artID=67

Source: EPA