City to pay $82,000
over violations with
storage of paint
The city will pay an $82,532 fine for failing to follow the advice it gives residents about safe storage and disposal of paint and paint thinner.
The federal Environmental Protection Agency announced yesterday that it reached a settlement with the city over violations found at the Honolulu corporation yard in 2001.
Inspectors found 104 rusted and deteriorated containers of hazardous waste material and 147 containers of waste paint stored at the yard where the Department of Facility Management stores city vehicles, heavy equipment and road maintenance supplies. They found ignitable materials such as paint stored near the property fence line and adjacent to a public road.
City spokeswoman Carol Costa said the 2001 federal inspection came at a time the city was moving public works from the old Kewalo Base Yard to a new facility in Halawa and had stored paint temporarily in the signage storage shed.
"We were in the process of scheduling disposal but had not done it because of the move," Costa said. "As soon as they informed us, we corrected the problem and disposed of the paint. We're a little frustrated to be fined now that we are in a safe and environmentally correct new facility."
The EPA announcement said no spill or environmental cleanup was necessary at the storage area and that city departments were cooperative in responding and correcting the violations. It cited the city for failure to:
>> Transfer hazardous materials into secure containers.
>> Comply with requirements for storage of ignitable waste.
>> Have a hazardous-waste permit to allow paint storage for more than 90 days.
>> Inspect hazardous-waste containers weekly.
>> Have a training program for employees and a contingency plan in case of spills.