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EPA protects central Arizona tribal lands by requiring safe handling of hazardous waste and pesticides

Release Date: 11/25/2014
Contact Information: Margot Perez-Sullivan, (415) 947-4149, [email protected]

SAN FRANCISCO—The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently fined Triax Turbine Components for violations of the hazardous waste law and, in a separate action, Hill Brothers Chemical Company for violations of pesticides law. These actions support EPA‘s commitment to protecting public health and the environment in Indian Country.

Triax Turbine, a manufacturer of turbine parts, was fined $12,000 for violations of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act at its Chandler facility, located on the Gila River Indian Reservation. Routine inspections at the facility in 2013 uncovered violations of federal standards governing the handling and storing of hazardous waste. Among the violations were mislabeled or unlabeled containers, lack of an emergency response plan and inadequate staff training.

Under the EPA’s RCRA program, hazardous substances must be stored, handled and disposed of using measures that safeguard public health and the environment.

Hill Brothers Chemical Company, based in Orange, Calif., was fined $12,000 for violations of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act for selling mislabeled, industrial-use pesticides on the Ak-Chin Indian Community in 2013. Hill Brothers sold two products without providing the complete use instructions to the water reclamation facility on the tribe’s land in Maricopa. The violations were discovered by the tribe after it inspected the facility following an incident involving an accidental release of chlorine gas.

Under FIFRA, labels must include directions for use and precautionary statements that are designed to minimize the risks associated with the product. Consumers are required to follow pesticide label directions for proper use and should look for the EPA registration number printed on product labels.

For more information on RCRA, please visit the EPA’s web site at: https://www.epa.gov/compliance/civil/rcra/index.html

For more information on FIFRA, please visit the EPA’s website at: https://www.epa.gov/agriculture/lfra.html