The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has fined a Tacoma hazardous-waste handling business $38,000 after the company mishandled a flammable chemical leading to explosions and a fire at the company's facility in the Tideflats.
In addition to the fine, the company has also agreed to provide almost $70,000 worth of equipment to Tacoma's fire and environmental services departments, the EPA announced Wednesday.
The state Department of Ecology fined the company $42,000 in July for the same incident. Emerald Services deferred an additional $86,000 fine from the state by agreeing to make changes in its operations.
Emerald Services Inc. released 1,697 pounds of toluene, a hazardous substance, into the storm sewer at its facility at 1825 Alexander Ave. on Aug. 30, 2005, according to the EPA.
The company didn't report the chemical release to the EPA's National Response Center until after the toluene caught fire two weeks later, setting off multiple explosions Sept. 13.
The neighborhood was evacuated. No one was injured and the blaze was put out by the Tacoma Fire Department.
The release of the toluene and the failure to notify the appropriate agencies violated federal law, the EPA reported. Toluene is considered an extremely hazardous substance by the agency.
Beyond the fine, Emerald Services has agreed to provide $31,585 in emergency response equipment to the Tacoma Fire Department and $37,980 worth of equipment to the city's Environmental Services Source Control Division for tracking information about discharge from industrial facilities.
"These laws were established to help communities like Tacoma to be better prepared to respond to chemical accidents like the one that occurred at Emerald Services, Inc.," said Mike Bussell, director of the EPA's Office of Compliance and Enforcement in Seattle. "They also help reduce the likelihood and severity of accidental chemical release that could harm the public and the environment."
The News Tribune was unable to reach the owners of Emerald Services.
Kelly Kearsley: 253-597-8573
kelly.kearsley@thenewstribune.com
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Copyright (c) 2006, The News Tribune, Tacoma, Wash.
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Business News.
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