U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 7 - 11201 Renner Blvd., Lenexa, KS 66219

Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and Nine Tribal Nations

EPA Fines Safety-Kleen Systems Inc. for Alleged Hazardous Waste Violations in Iowa, Kansas, and Nebraska
 

Contact Information: Ben Washburn, 816-518-4154, washburn.ben@epa.gov 

LENEXA, KAN. (OCT. 11, 2023) – Safety-Kleen Systems Inc. will pay a $95,781 civil penalty to resolve alleged violations of the federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, which is the federal law that requires safe handling of hazardous wastes.

“Mismanagement of hazardous waste threatens human health and the environment,” said David Cozad, director of EPA Region 7’s Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Division. “EPA is committed to protecting communities from harmful chemical waste releases and leveling the playing field for companies that comply with the law.”

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Safety-Kleen is a nationwide provider of environmental services and operates permitted hazardous waste treatment, storage, and disposal facilities in multiple states.

EPA conducted inspections of Safety-Kleen facilities in 2022 in Des Moines, Iowa, Grand Island, Nebraska, and Wichita, Kansas, and alleges that the company failed to comply with terms of hazardous waste permits at these locations, including:

• Failure to adequately manage hazardous waste containers, including labeling of hazardous waste, conducting inspections, and separating incompatible wastes.
• Failure to properly manage used oil.
• Failure to maintain adequate records of hazardous waste.

Upon notification to Safety-Kleen of the alleged violations, the company took immediate steps to return to compliance.

# # #

Learn more about the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act

Learn more about EPA Region 7