Ariz. transfer station to pay hazardous waste fine

Oct. 26 -- A.A. Sydcol LLC, a transfer facility in Yuma, Ariz., has agreed to pay a $30,000 penalty for hazardous waste violations, the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality announced.

The facility consolidates waste and takes out recyclables before it is transported to landfills in the area.

During an inspection of the facility in 2007, officials noticed an odor of solvents coming from 85, 55-gallon drums of waste paint, some of which were open, on a loading dock. An employee poured some of the material into a pan and lit it on fire, a test he called "the open flame ignitability" test. The state recommends sending samples to the state for a flash-point determination.

Solid waste that is ignitable is regulated hazardous waste which Sydcol cannot possess or send to a solid waste landfill.

"In addition to these serious violations, the company employee put himself, co-workers and ADEQ inspectors at risk by striking a match in that environment," said Henry Darwin, ADEQ director, in a statement.

The consent judgment is subject to court approval, the ADEQ said.

Contact Waste & Recycling News reporter Jeremy Carroll at jcarroll@crain.com or 313-446-6780.

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