SEATTLE (Legal Newsline) - General Biodiesel will pay a $63,000 penalty for failing to report their hazardous chemicals to the Environmental Protection Agency.
The consent agreement was announced Dec. 26 by the EPA.
The company failed to submit Emergency and Hazardous Chemical Inventory forms to the Seattle fire department, King County emergency management, and Washington's Emergency Response Commission in 2009 and 2010.
Failure to report large amounts of hazardous chemicals to appropriate agencies is a violation of the federal Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act.
By using hazardous chemicals such as methanol, sodium methoxide, and sulfuric acid, General Biodiesel converts used cooking oils, fish oil, vegetable oil, and animal fats into biodiesel fuel and glycerol.
"When a company fails to report their hazardous chemicals to emergency planners and responders, they put their employees and the community at risk," said Kelly McFadden of the EPA's Pesticides and Toxics Unit Manager in Seattle. "This information is critical to alert federal, state, and local officials to prevent injuries or deaths to emergency responders, workers, and the local community."
To protect their employees, emergency responders and the local community, General Biodiesel said it will fully comply with federal emergency planning rules in the future. It also will pay the $62,985 penalty.
General Biodisel to pay $63K EPA fine
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