By Staff
(AXcess News) Portland, ME - The Maine College of Art in Portland has agreed to pay $60,000 to settle claims that it violated numerous Maine hazardous waste regulations that can be enforced by EPA.
According to the settlement, filed Dec. 16 by EPA's New England office, Maine College of Art failed to properly determine if wastes were hazardous, which lead to the improper handling of hazardous waste and put the school's staff and students at risk.
"This settlement will help ensure that Maine College of Art complies with environmental laws meant to protect staff and students," said Robert W. Varney, regional administrator of EPA's New England office. "The violations found at the school may have unnecessarily exposed the campus population to hazardous waste, and allowed wastes to be improperly disposed of as non-regulated solid waste."
EPA's complaint against the college, filed last June, alleged that waste glaze, floor sweepings, acid pickling solution and other wastes were improperly handled and disposed of, and that cans of old waste paint, paint thinners and other solvents were managed improperly. Also, the college, which has 400 students, improperly stored and labeled fluorescent bulbs and computer monitors.
The Maine College of Art is now in compliance with hazardous waste regulations and has corrected all violations. In addition, the college has complied with Maine hazardous waste regulations related to "universal wastes," which includes the proper disposal of fluorescent bulbs and computer monitors. The school has submitted documents showing it is in compliance.
The complaint stemmed from an inspection of the college in April 2004.
The settlement is among numerous enforcement actions EPA's New England Office has taken against universities and colleges across the region as part of its College and University Initiative.
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