HONOLULU — The Hawai‘i State Department of Health (DOH) has issued a Notice of Violation and Order against Hawaiian Electric Company, Inc. (HECO), for alleged violations of the state’s hazardous waste rules at their Waiau facility. DOH cited HECO for three counts of failure to make a hazardous waste determination and for one count of storage of hazardous waste without a permit. HECO faces a total penalty of $53,500. HECO may request a hearing to contest the alleged facts and penalty order.
The DOH conducted a hazardous waste and used oil inspection of the Waiau faciliy in 2008, and after further investigation found that HECO had disposed of paint thinner, solvents and used oil on several occasions without making a hazardous waste determination. HECO also stored open containers of hazardous waste in four satellite accumulation areas in their Environmental Laboratory.
The DOH Hazardous Waste Program is fully authorized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to inspect, monitor and enforce on businesses handling hazardous waste. These include generators, transporters and treatment, storage and disposal facilities. Other elements of the program include permitting of hazardous waste and used oil activities, oversight of corrective action which includes clean up of contaminated sites; providing compliance assistance and outreach to small businesses to help minimize their hazardous waste; and data management; and used oil contract management.
Report by the Department of Health