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Waste Code Violations Cost Oakland $50,000

Posted on: Thursday, 3 November 2005, 00:00 CST

By , FROM STAFF REPORTS

OAKLAND -- The city of Oakland must pay $50,000 to the California Department of Toxic Substances for hazardous waste code violations found in April 2004, according to terms of a court settlement.

The fire department came under scrutiny after one of its employees called to report safety hazards. The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health investigated the complaints and levied a $25,000 fine for safety violations, including failure to adequately train its Hazardous Materials Response Team.

The new set of fines is for similar violations, found in Oakland Fire Station No. 13 at 14th Street.

Inspectors with the California Environmental Protection Agency found that the fire department was storing hazardous waste in leaking containers, storing it for longer periods of time than allowed by the Department of Toxic Substances Control, and transporting hazardous waste without valid registration or variance from the department, among other violations.

"No entity should consider itself exempt from properly managing hazardous waste," Timothy Swickard, manager of the Department of Toxic Substances Control, said in a prepared statement.

Source: Oakland Tribune

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