Safety Kleen Systems of West Brookfield Pays $11,200 Penalty
For Violating Hazardous Waste Requirements

The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) has penalized Safety Kleen Systems, Inc. of West Brookfield $11,200 for violating provisions of its Hazardous Waste Storage license. Safety Kleen operates a MassDEP-licensed hazardous waste storage facility at 224 East Main Street.
      
In January, Safety Kleen notified MassDEP that it had inadvertently shipped a railcar containing oily waste that was contaminated with Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) to a facility not able to properly dispose of that waste. When made aware of its error by the receiving facility, the company took immediate steps to properly dispose of the contents of the railcar.

Further investigation revealed that Safety Kleen could not determine the exact source of the PCB contamination, as samples from each generator were not taken and retained. The taking and retention of those samples is a requirement of Safety Kleen's license. The company has agreed to comply with applicable regulations and pay the $11,200.00 penalty.

"MassDEP-licensed Hazardous Waste Storage facilities go through an extensive licensing process in an effort to minimize events such as this," said Martin Suuberg, director of MassDEP's Central Regional Office in Worcester. "The company acted quickly to address the issue, and has put additional procedures in place to ensure that it doesn't happen again."

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