Parker Hannifin has agreed to pay a $366,000 penalty following an investigation by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) into its Enumclaw, Washington facility. The EPA identified multiple violations of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act during a visit in January 2023.
The violations included treating hazardous waste without the necessary permit, inadequate staff training regarding hazardous materials, improper management of hazardous waste containers, and failure to conduct required inspections. These infractions increased the risk of toxic releases and worker exposure.
In 2019, the Washington Department of Ecology had already cited Parker Hannifin for similar issues at the same location. During its 2023 inspection, the EPA noted that five previously cited violations remained unaddressed, leading to an increased penalty due to this history of non-compliance.
Recently, Parker Hannifin also resolved a Clean Water Act case with the EPA concerning violations related to stormwater management at their Enumclaw site.
Ed Kowalski, director of EPA Region 10’s Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Division, stated: “Hazardous waste regulations are in place to protect people and our environment. It's particularly troubling when a state cites a company for violations and the company fails to take compliance seriously. 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.”
