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U.S. EPA fines Bio Rad Laboratories $29,900 for waste violations in Richmond, Calif.

Release Date: 12/13/2006
Contact Information: Dean Higuchi, 808-541-2711, [email protected] Mark Merchant, 415-947-4297, merchant.mark@epa .gov

(12/13/06 -- SAN FRANCISCO) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently settled with Bio Rad Laboratories, located in Richmond, Calif, for $29,900 for hazardous waste storage violations.

The EPA inspected the company’s facility in April 2005 and found the company was not complying with requirements to control air emissions from hazardous waste, a violation of the agency’s hazardous waste regulations.

Bio-Rad is a large quantity generator of hazardous waste and distributes over 200 life science research products, such as buffers, reagents, dyes, and ion exchange beads, for the biotechnology industry. The company is located at 3110 Regatta Blvd.

“We are pleased the company has taken responsibility for its violations and now understands what it needs to do in order to manage its hazardous waste,” said Jeff Scott, the EPA’s director for the waste management programs in the Pacific Southwest region. “All companies, generating hazardous waste must follow the rules to protect its employees, the public, and the environment.”

The company also failed to:

· determine what kind of hazardous waste was generated;
· properly train its workers in managing and handling hazardous waste;
· have a hazardous waste spill response plan; and
· store hazardous waste in required containers with proper labels.

The EPA’s hazardous waste rules require facilities to properly store, label and seal hazardous waste containers. Facilities must also have properly trained staff, as improperly stored hazardous waste can potentially spill and pose a risk to workers and the environment.

For more information on U.S. EPA’s hazardous waste program visit https://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/osw/hazwaste.htm.