Interstate Container Fitchburg to Pay $19,000 Penalty
for Violating Industrial Wastewater Requirements

Interstate Container Fitchburg LLC, which formerly operated a facility located at 245 River Street in Fitchburg, has agreed to pay the Commonwealth of Massachusetts a $19,000 penalty for violating industrial wastewater regulations.  

The company, which produces printed corrugated cardboard boxes for a variety of end users, failed to operate its wastewater pretreatment system in compliance with state requirements. The violations were found in June 2008 during a routine inspection conducted by the Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP).

The company had previously agreed, in a consent order signed with MassDEP in 2004, to properly staff its wastewater pretreatment system with licensed operators. However, the company failed to have a licensed wastewater treatment plant operator on duty between 2004 and 2008, an up-to-date operation and maintenance manual, and a staffing plan for the treatment system.

"Failure to have licensed wastewater treatment plant operators and procedures in place to adequately operate the pretreatment system can lead to untreated wastewaters being discharged to treatment facilities," said Martin Suuberg, director of MassDEP's Central Regional Office in Worcester. "The violations identified in this order were the same type of violations as those identified in 2004, so as a result, a high penalty was assessed."

The company closed down its Fitchburg facility in August 2008, and is now operating in Westminster. 

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