EPA New England Press Releases

EPA ORDERS NEWBURYPORT COMPANY TO MEET ENVIRONMENTAL CODE

Alice Kaufman, EPA-New England Press Office, (617) 918-1064

For Immediate Release: September 13, 1996; Release # 96-9-7

BOSTON --The New England office of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ordered M & V Electroplating Corporation (M&V) of Newburyport, Massachusetts, to immediately comply with federal hazardous waste management laws and correct numerous violations found at its facility. M&V is operating under Chapter 11 Bankruptcy. The EPA also filed a claim in Bankruptcy Court for the District of Massachusetts for penalties of up to $25,000 per day for the violations cited in the compliance order issued to M&V. In the same claim, EPA is seeking to recoup approximately $700,000 in costs resulting from the government cleanup of another M&V facility also in Newburyport.. The company plates metal parts with zinc, copper, nickel, and tin for the defense, telecommunications, and computer industries. M&V's operations generate toxic wastes including sodium cyanide, zinc caustic solution, waste acid solutions, metal hydroxide sludge and other process wastes.

"Even though EPA has offered compliance and pollution prevention assistance to electroplaters and metal finishing companies in New England, some companies only seem to respond when faced with an enforcement action," said John P. DeVillars, administrator of EPA's New England office. "There is a better way for metal platers to achieve compliance - it's called pollution prevention. Time after time, metal platers are finding that by working with EPA to identify ways to reduce environmental impacts, they are saving money and the environment. We wish M&V had taken that course. Companies need to realize that bankruptcy will provide little protection from corporate responsibility. EPA fully intends to seek a significant penalty on M&V for its careless management of toxic wastes."

EPA cited the company for numerous violations. According to EPA, M&V failed to:

• segregate incompatible hazardous wastes;

• send hazardous waste off-site to a permitted treatment, storage, or disposal facility;

• keep containers of hazardous waste closed when not in use; and

• appropriately label containers of hazardous waste.

EPA observed waste management practices that created potentially unsafe conditions at the facility. The agency issued the company a Notice of Violation (NOV) in February to put them on notice of violations discovered at the time of the inspection. M&V has provided EPA with written information on actions it has taken to address the violations alleged in the Order.

The management of hazardous waste is regulated under the federal Resource Conservation of Recovery Act (RCRA).

 

METADATA

1. TITLE: EPA Orders Newburyport Company to Meet Environmental Code

2. IDENTIFICATION NUMBER: N/A

3. ABSTRACT: The New England Office of the U.S. EPA has ordered M & V Electroplating Corporation (M&V) of Newburyport, MA to immediately comply with federal hazardous waste management laws and correct numerous violations found at its facility.

4. PURPOSE: Public Information

5. ORIGINATOR: Regional Administrator's Office

6. PUBLICATION DATE: 09/24/96

7. ACCESS CONSTRAINTS: N/A

8. AVAILABILITY: N/A
   a. Distributor:
   b. Order Process:
   c. Technical Prerequisites:
   d. Automated Linkage:
   e. Downloadable Files:

9. COVERAGE: N/A

10. TIME PERIOD OF COVERAGE: N/A

11. POINT OF CONTACT FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:
    Alice Kaufman
    Office of the Regional Administrator
    EPA Region 1, New England
    JFK Kennedy Building (RAA)
    Boston, MA 02203
    617-918-1064

12. RESPONSIBLE PARTY:
    Doug Gutro
    Office of the Regional Administrator

13. DATE OF CREATION: 09/24/96

14. AGENCY SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION: N/A

15. EXPIRATION DATE: 10/13/96