Press Release  MassDEP Fines Kraft Power Corp. for Hazardous Waste and Air Quality Violations at its Woburn Facility

BOSTON — The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) has assessed a $52,880 penalty to Kraft Power Corp. for hazardous waste management and air quality regulatory violations at its facility located at 199 Wildwood Ave. in Woburn.

Kraft Power Corp. provides electrical power generation equipment and services the equipment to various commercial industries. Through a review of emergency engine maintenance and service records, MassDEP determined that Kraft Power transported and stored more than 100 kilograms of waste oil from a customer’s site without a hazardous waste transporters or storage license and did not use a hazardous waste manifest for the shipments, as required by law. The company also did not label its aboveground waste oil tank or keep it closed when not in use, company personnel were not properly trained for waste oil management and an emergency contact list was not posted nearby, as required, and hazardous waste oil recycling records were non-existent. During an inspection, MassDEP also observed that a degreasing unit was open when not in use, a violation of air quality regulations.

As part of a consent order with MassDEP, the company was required to come back into compliance with all violations and pay $20,000 of the assessed penalty, with the remainder suspended if the company does not violate regulations within one year of the consent decree.

“When handling waste oil and other hazardous materials, companies must be properly licensed and trained for those activities and ensure that the materials do not put the public or their workers in harm’s way,” said Eric Worrall, director of MassDEP’s Northeast Regional Office in Woburn. “When our inspection uncovered these violations, the company quickly corrected the problems and came back into compliance.”

MassDEP’s mission is to protect and enhance the Commonwealth’s natural resources – air, water and land – to provide for the health, safety and welfare of all people, and to ensure a clean and safe environment for future generations. In carrying out this mission, MassDEP commits to address and advance environmental justice and equity for all people of the Commonwealth; to provide meaningful, inclusive opportunities for people to participate in agency decisions that affect their lives; and to ensure a diverse workforce that reflects the communities we serve.

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