Federal Government Settles With Clean Harbors Environmental Services

Washington – The U.S. Justice Department and the Washington-based U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have announced a settlement with Braintree, Mass.-based Clean harbors Environmental Services regarding its emissions. The settlement agreement, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, will require Clean harbors to properly determine the benzene quantities in hazardous waste shipments received from its customers. The company will pay a $300,000 penalty and will no longer be able to estimate the benzene quantities based on a range that customers supply.

The settlement applies to 10 facilities in eight states and confirms the proper industry standard for compliance with the Clean Air Act regulation that limits benzene emissions from hazardous waste facilities. The proposed consent decree, available on the Department of Justice Web site, is subject to a 30-day public comment period.