ENUMCLAW, Wash. — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has fined Parker Hannifin, a producer of hydraulic and industrial products, for violating the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act at its Enumclaw facility.
On October 16, Parker Hannifin paid $366,000 after the EPA found over a dozen violations during a January 2023 inspection.
According to the EPA, some of the violations include:
- treating dangerous waste without a permit;
- failure to adequately train staff about the risks associated with the treatment, handling, and storage of hazardous materials;
- failure to follow appropriate management standards for containers of hazardous waste; and
- failure to conduct inspections of the facility.
The violations increased the risk of releasing toxic substances and putting workers at risk, the EPA wrote.
The fines were increased when EPA determined that previous violations were not corrected.
“Hazardous waste regulations are in place to protect people and our environment,” said Ed Kowalski, director of EPA Region 10′s Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Division. “It’s particularly troubling when a state cites a company for violations and the company fails to take compliance seriously. This case is an example of how the partnership between EPA and state agencies is critical to holding repeat violators accountable and protecting people and the environment from hazardous wastes.”
Parker Hannifin recently reached a settlement with the EPA for violating the general industrial stormwater permit.