Metal finishing company to pay $118,000 penalty for poor hazardous waste management

Aero-Dynamics, Inc, a metal finishing company based in Seabrook, New Hampshire, has reached a settlement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) over the company's poor practices in the disposal of hazardous waste that put the environment at serious risk of pollution.

The company will have to pay $118,000 in fines and is required to significantly improve its hazardous waste management practices, ensuring that the health of the community is protected, the EPA said. Aero-Dynamics was accused of repeatedly violating the federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), as well as New Hampshire's hazardous waste management rules.

On Sept. 30, 2013, the federal agency submitted a complaint in which it claimed the company failed to ensure that adequate protection was in place against hazardous waste release, fire and explosions at the facility. It also lacked emergency preparedness and prevention measures, as well as a reasonable contingency plan. Aero-Dynamics had not provided adequate training to its staff and failed to properly label hazardous waste containers. Other violations detected at the facility included failure to comply with requirements for a satellite accumulation area, lack of a hazardous waste inspection program and treating hazardous waste in a way that was against the facility's state-issued permit.

Aero-Dynamics was ordered to come into full compliance with state and federal regulations within 65 days of the complaint being issued. It did so, taking several steps immediately after the inspection, the agency said.