The violation of hazardous waste law at Kettleman Hills facility that handles the treatment, storage and disposal of PCBs and other wastes emerged during a series of 2010 inspections conducted by EPA investigators and included spills next to the facility’s PCB Storage and Flushing Building.

Further, the EPA inspectors detected PCBs at elevated levels ranging from 2.1 parts per million (ppm) up to 440ppm, improper labeling of PCB container and failure on the part of CMW to comply with information and decontamination requirements in areas prior to continued use.

CWM has cleaned up PCB releases at the facility under a cleanup plan approved by EPA and the State of California, Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) and will be submitting a final report documenting its cleanup to both agencies.

In 1976, Congress enacted Toxic Substances Control Act, which authorized EPA to strictly regulate the use, manufacture and cleanup of PCB waste, which can be harmful to human health and the environment if disposed improperly.

EPA regional administrator of Pacific Southwest Jared Blumenfeld said that companies charged with safely disposing of society’s most toxic materials need to rigorously follow the protective laws established to secure both the public safety and public trust.

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