EPA hits company with facility in Enumclaw with $366,000 fine

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that Parker Hannifin, a manufacturer of hydraulic equipment and other industrial products, has paid a $366,000 penalty for violations that increased the risk of toxic substance releases and worker exposures at its facility in Enumclaw.

EPA inspectors visited the Enumclaw facility in January 2023 and identified over a dozen significant violations. These included treating dangerous waste without a permit, failing to adequately train staff on the risks associated with hazardous materials, not adhering to proper management standards for hazardous waste containers, and neglecting to conduct necessary facility inspections.

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“Hazardous waste regulations are in place to protect people and our environment,” Ed Kowalski, director of EPA Region 10’s Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Division said in a news release. “It’s particularly troubling when a state cites a company for violations and the company fails to take compliance seriously.

The Irvine, California-based company violated the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), which gives EPA the authority to control hazardous waste from cradle to grave.

The Washington Department of Ecology had previously inspected the same facility in 2019, citing multiple violations. During the EPA’s 2023 inspection, it was found that five of the previously cited violations had not been corrected, leading the EPA to increase the penalty due to this history of non-compliance.

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Parker Hannifin also recently settled a Clean Water Act case with the EPA, which found multiple violations of the general industrial stormwater permit at the same Enumclaw facility.

“This case is an example of how the partnership between EPA and state agencies is critical to holding repeat violators accountable and protecting people and the environment from hazardous wastes,” Kowalski said.

The EPA’s enforcement actions underscore the importance of compliance with environmental regulations to safeguard public health and the environment. The agency continues to work closely with state partners to ensure that companies adhere to these critical standards.

Bill Kaczaraba is a content editor at MyNorthwest. You can read his stories here. Follow Bill on X, formerly known as Twitter, here and email him here.