Safety-Kleen will pay the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency a $90,000 penalty to resolve violations of federal oil pollution prevention regulations found during a January 2014 inspection at the Newark, Calif., rerefinery that parent company Clean Harbors acquired from Evergreen Oil in September 2013.
Although the company does not necessarily concur with the findings, consistent with our standard policy, we have agreed to take all steps necessary to comply with the order and to take such other corrective measures so as to ensure that the facility is in full compliance with federal and state operating permits, Eric Kraus, spokesman for Safety-Kleen parent Clean Harbors, told Lube Report.
Kraus noted that the facility was in material compliance with the Oil Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasure requirements associated with Clean Water Act regulations at the time of the inspection in 2014. That said, we agreed to settle and finalize the U.S. EPA Consent Agreement and Final Order, he noted.
The agency said the waste oil recycler violated rules requiring secondary containment around an oil storage area; the company to secure and control access to oil handling processing and storage areas; use of safe containers and good engineering practices, including liquid level alarms, to avoid discharges; and development of a complete Facility Response Plan. The goal of EPAs SPCC regulation is to prevent oil from reaching navigable waters and adjoining shorelines, and to contain and respond to discharges of oil.
The settlement is subject to a 30-day public comment period and approval by EPAs regional judicial officer.
Clean Harbors acquired rerefiner Evergreen Oil, including Evergreens Newark rerefinery, out of bankruptcy in 2013. The plant has 1,150 barrels per day of API Group II capacity.