Major case sentencing is in for Explo Systems executives. Interesting read about the dangers of noncompliance and what it can do to you, your business and the environment:

EPA and Law Enforcement Partners Announce Sentencing in Louisiana Explosive Waste Disposal Case

“DALLAS – (Nov. 30, 2018) Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) joined law enforcement partners from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana, the Department of Defense, the U. S. Army, the Department of Transportation, the FBI, and the Louisiana State Police in announcing the sentencing of five defendants for their role in a case involving Explo Systems, Inc., a private company involved in the demilitarization of military munitions. Explo Systems’ mismanagement of military munitions resulted in a large detonation at a storage facility in Camp Minden, Louisiana, on October 15, 2012. The explosion damaged buildings in a four-mile radius, derailed 11 rail cars, and was felt up to thirty-five miles away. In addition, an investigation revealed that Explo Systems had illegally disposed of hazardous waste resulting in over $38 million dollars of cleanup costs to tax payers. 

“Through their reckless mismanagement of waste explosives, the defendants put the safety of an entire town at risk,” said EPA Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Assistant Administrator Susan Bodine. “Today’s sentencing should send a clear message that EPA and our law enforcement partners will hold corporate officials responsible for violating laws designed to protect our communities and the environment.”

Explo Systems, Inc. is an explosives demilitarization and recycling company, which operated several facilities at Camp Minden, Louisiana, leased from the Louisiana Military Department (LMD). The U.S. Army awarded Explo Systems a contract on March 24, 2010 to dispose of 450,000 155mm artillery propelling charges designated as M119A2 for $2,902,500. The Army and Explo Systems officials later amended the contract on March 6, 2012 to dispose of 1,350,000 M6 propellant charges for $8,617,500. The contract required Explo Systems to properly store and dispose of the demilitarized propellant, which is a solid, granular, explosive material. The contract also required Explo Systems to document the sale of the demilitarized propellant by completing an End User Certificate (EUC). On the EUC, the purchaser of the demilitarized propellant certified the purchase and compliance with applicable federal laws, including the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. 

The defendants, all employed by Explo Systems, conspired from January 2010 to November 2012 to defraud the United States by submitting false EUCs to the U.S. Army Joint Munitions Center (JMC). Instead of selling the explosive material as indicated by the false EUCs, the hazardous waste was disposed of in unpermitted facilities, including public landfills, and improperly stored, which resulted in a large explosion and the evacuation of the Town of Doyline. Explo Systems illegally disposed of approximately forty-seven truckloads of reactive hazardous waste containing explosives to public landfills across Louisiana and Arkansas. Not only did officials at Explo Systems defraud the government about the disposal of the explosive material but they also moved and improperly stored propellant to hide the improper storage from government officials. Lower-level employees were instructed to hide and conceal improperly stored demilitarized propellant and reactive hazardous waste from government officials during inspections. The total costs paid by the taxpayers to ensure the proper destruction and remediation of the propellant and hazardous waste which EXPLO illegally stored on site exceeded $38 million.

For their role in a criminal conspiracy that led to the October 2012 explosion at Camp Minden, United States District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote presided over hearings and sentenced these five Explo Systems defendants: Co-owner David Alan Smith of Winchester, Kentucky; Vice President of Operations William Terry Wright of Bossier City, Louisiana; Director of Support Technology Charles Ferris Callihan, of Shreveport, Louisiana; Demilitarization Program Manager Kenneth Wayne Lampkin of Haughton, Louisiana; and Traffic and Inventory Control Manager Lionel Wayne Koons of Haughton, Louisiana. 

Through the diligent work of EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division and their state and federal law enforcement partners, including the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command – Major Procurement Fraud Unit (USACID-MPFU), the U.S. Department of Transportation – Office of Inspector General, the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality – Criminal Investigations Section, and Troopers from the Louisiana State Police Emergency Services Unit, the defendants were held accountable for their actions which endangered communities, defrauded tax payers, and resulted in multi-million dollar hazardous waste cleanup sites across Louisiana and Arkansas.

For more information on today’s sentencing please see the press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana: https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdla/pr/explo-officials-sentenced-roles-conspiracy-led-illegal-dumping-munitions-and-explosion”

Today is America Recycles Day! You probably already know how to recycle common goods like paper, plastics, aluminum and glass, but what about batteries, used motor oil, tires, light bulbs and household hazardous waste items?

If you are already an avid recycler, great! That’s the first step. Next step is to ensure you are doing it correctly. Here are a few tips on how to keep up the good work with the ‘not so easy’ items:

Used Oil:

Never dump your used motor oil down the drain. Used oil is a hazardous waste that, even in small amounts, can contaminate our waterways and result in the pollution of our drinking water sources. Old motor oil can be refined, reconditioned or reprocessed to become usable again, so recycle it! The best places to recycle used motor oil and filters are your local service stations and auto shops.

E-Waste & HHW:

E-waste is the category for electronics and batteries, which require special handling with disposal. E-waste can be filled with toxic chemicals like mercury and lead that, if not handled properly, can leak into the environment.

Leftover household products like paints, cleaners and pesticides can contain corrosive, ignitable and toxic ingredients that should never be poured onto the ground or thrown out with regular trash. These household hazardous waste (HHW) products also require special care when disposing of them.

Did you know that many cities and counties will collect single-use batteries and household hazardous waste during their collection events? To see if you live in an area that participates in these cleanups, visit your city and county website. You can also look for in-store recycling bins to dispose of batteries.

Tires:

Discarded tires may carry disease-carrying pests or worse, tire piles can catch on fire. Most garages are required to accept and recycle your used tires when you have new ones installed. Some communities will hold collection events for used tires, so be sure to check yours.

Light Bulbs: 

Because Compact Flourescent Light Bulbs (CFLs) contain mercury, EPA recommends recycling options for CFLs and fluorescent bulbs. Find your local collection agency to drop off broken or used CFLs or visit a hardware supply store to see if they offer in-store recycling.

But there is still so much more to learn beyond the basics.

Check out our Recycling Awareness training as today’s featured course:

Here are some helpful resources to learn more about America Recycles Day and to search and locate recycling services and solutions near you:

https://www.epa.gov/recycle/america-recycles-day-2018

https://search.earth911.com

This National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week marks a week of recognition and awareness, October 21-27, with the theme being Lead Free Kids for a Healthy Future. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “childhood lead poisoning is considered the most preventable environmental disease among young children…”

What can you do to stay safe and raise awareness?

1. Get the Facts: Lead poisoning is 100% preventable! So, educate yourself and others. Learn about lead, lead-based paint and the dangers of lead exposure before it’s too late. Get involved with your local activities or events. And spread the word. Knowledge is key to keeping yourself and your loved ones safe.
2. Do your Tests: Test your home for lead with a certified professional and consult your health care provider for advice on blood tests to test your children for any lead exposure.

Click to learn more from the EPA, find out ways to get involved and spread the word.

Hazardous waste violations lead to hefty settlement for Inglewood, California company.

“U.S. EPA Settlement with Inglewood, Calif. facility Requires Safer Management of Hazardous Waste 

Company will purchase equipment for Los Angeles County first responders

LOS ANGELES — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a settlement with Rho-Chem, LLC, a solvent recycling and storage facility in Inglewood, Calif., for federal hazardous waste violations. Under the agreement, Rho-Chem will take specific steps to better track and more safely manage hazardous wastes at its Inglewood facility.  Rho-Chem will also purchase more than $353,000 in emergency response equipment for the Los Angeles County Fire Department and pay a $120,527 penalty.

“Improper management of hazardous waste can lead to fires, explosions or unplanned release of hazards into the environment,” said EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator Mike Stoker. “We are pleased that through this settlement, our local first responders are able to receive additional equipment necessary to protect the community.”

Rho-Chem is a fuel blending, solvent recycling and re-packaging distribution and storage facility. EPA’s September 2015 inspection found that Rho-Chem was in violation of federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) regulations. RCRA rules require the safe management of hazardous waste to protect public health and the environment and to prevent costly and extensive cleanups.

The company’s violations included:

• Failure to make a hazardous waste determination for certain solid waste generated;
• Failure to maintain and inspect secondary containment areas to prevent leaks and spills;
• Failure to regularly inspect its hazardous waste operations area to detect discharges;
• Failure to inspect and properly maintain its closed ventilation monitoring systems;
• Failure to properly manage ignitable hazardous waste in certain areas of the facility;
• Failure to maintain adequate operating records; and
• Failure to obtain the proper permit to store and treat hazardous waste for longer than 90 days.

In addition to the penalty, Rho-Chem is required to complete a supplemental environmental project to purchase and provide at least $352,992 worth of emergency response instruments, and communication and computing equipment to the Los Angeles County Fire Department’s Homeland Security/Hazardous Materials Response Section. This equipment will improve the department’s ability to identify and monitor chemicals and other hazardous materials in the field such as toxic and combustible gases, volatile organic compounds, radiation, and meteorological factors.

The settlement also requires Rho-Chem to implement an electronic system that will more accurately document the amounts and types of hazardous waste received, treated, stored, or scheduled for off-site disposal. The company will complete an audit of hazardous air emissions at its facility and provide its audit report to EPA, along with a schedule of corrective actions. As part of its renewal application for its hazardous waste permit, the company will submit a revised Waste Analysis Plan that outlines procedures for accurately determining the appropriate treatment standard for hazardous waste and debris and a revised Closure Plan to close certain units at its facility.”

Do you know the rules and regulations that can avoid violations like these? With our library of hazardous waste training, you can learn crucial topics like the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), hazardous waste determinations, HAZMAT federal laws, proper management, reporting and recordkeeping, preparing and responding to emergencies, and the differences between hazardous materials, hazardous substances, and hazardous waste.

Visit our hazardous waste training now.