The United States Department of Justice (“DOJ”) in a December 22nd news release states that:
… Chem-Solv Inc. (Chem-Solv), formerly known as Chemicals & Solvents Inc., pleaded guilty today to illegally storing hazardous waste at its facility in Roanoke, Virginia, and to illegally transporting hazardous waste from that facility to another location …
Chem-Solv is stated to operate a chemical blending and distribution facility as well as distribution facilities in other states. It is stated to be in the business of purchasing chemicals and then reselling them to customers, either directly or after repackaging.
These activities generated hazardous waste.
The DOJ Information has two Counts.
The news release describes Count One as being based on a spill of several hundred gallons of ferric chloride (a hazardous substance) on the Chem-Solv facility in Roanoke, Virginia in June 2012. Some of the ferric chloride is stated to have flowed from the facility onto adjoining property both before, and during, the cleanup. An adjoining property owner was allegedly not notified of the material and it is further alleged that Chem-Solv employed a waste transportation company without a proper permit/placarding/manifest to transport the waste to a disposal facility.
Count Two charges Chem-Solv with the improper storage of hazardous waste. The company was allegedly given advance notice of a United States Environmental Protection Agency inspection in December 2013. Further, the company was allegedly storing “numerous containers of chemical waste on its facility that should have been disposed of properly.” Count Two further alleges:
… Chem-Solv directed its employees to load three trailers with the chemical waste in an attempt to prevent EPA inspectors from discovering it. Two of the three trailers were taken offsite. The third trailer, which was not road worthy, was stored on the Chem-Solv property for almost a year and its contents were discovered by law enforcement officer on Nov. 19, 2014, while executing a search warrant. That trailer was found to contain hazardous waste that Chem-Solv did not have a permit to store on its facility.
A plea agreement requires the company to pay a $1 million criminal fine as well as an additional $250,000 to fund environmental community service projects.
Click here to download a copy of the news release, Plea Agreement, and the United States’ Statement of Facts.
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