Salem Home Depot distribution center fined $25,973 for hazardous waste violations
The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality has fined home improvement retailer Home Depot U.S.A. $25,973 for multiple hazardous waste violations at its southeast Salem warehouse and distribution center.
DEQ inspected the facility, at 4999 Depot Court SE, on Nov. 14, 2022, and reviewed company records on Feb. 27, 2023.
Inspectors found that the company had accumulated about 534 containers of unknown wastes at the facility.
They also found a 50-gallon container of pesticide, which Oregon classifies as a hazardous waste, staged for disposal in a nonhazardous waste disposal lane.
The company had offered the container of pesticide for disposal on a manifest that did not include the correct code for hazardous waste disposal, inspectors found.
“Improper storage and management of hazardous waste threatens human health and the environment,” DEQ wrote in its penalty letter.
Home Depot officials declined to comment.
Oregon DEQ issues 12 fines in May
The fine was among 12 DEQ levied in May, totaling $357,009.
Recipients can appeal their fines by requesting a hearing within 20 days of receiving their penalty letter. DEQ sometimes reduces or eliminates fines after appeals.
Recipients also may be able to resolve part of their penalty by completing or sponsoring an environmental improvement project instead of paying a fine.
Here are the other citations:
Da Yang Seafood, Astoria, $150,000: For discharging wastewater from its seafood processing facility without a permit 33 times between July 2021 and September 2023. The company has appealed the penalty.
Rice Hill Owners Association, Yoncalla, $51,407: For more than 2,700 violations of its permit to operate a sewage treatment system, including discharging wastewater containing pollutants in excess of permit limits and failing to conduct required wastewater monitoring. The association has appealed the penalty.
Oregon Treehouse Partners, Cloverdale, $43,588: For water quality violations at the Two Capes Lookout Campground construction site, including failing to implement erosion and sediment control plans, discharging sediment from construction activities and failing to keep construction wastes out of public waters. The company has appealed the penalty.
Port of Astoria, $28,800: For failing to ensure that stormwater discharges from Pier 2 were not contaminated by seafood processing activities, failing to maintain stormwater catch basins and for polluting the Columbia River. The port has appealed the penalty.
Astoria Pacific Seafoods, Astoria, $22,800: For exceeding effluent limits in its wastewater discharge permit, submitting a late dilution study, failing to meet minimum dilution ratios required by the permit and for discharging untreated wastewater from an unauthorized discharge point. The company has appealed the penalty.
Alsea Quarries 1, Alsea, $7,727: For failing to conduct required stormwater monitoring at Alsea Rock Quarry. The company has appealed the penalty.
Valmont Industries, Tualatin, $7,434: For failing to monitor stormwater discharges as required by its permit.
S-C Paving Company, Tillamook, $6,405: For engaging in mining and quarrying activities that could discharge to waters of the state without a permit and for placing wastes in a location likely to pollute waters of the state.
Pembina Midstream (U.S.), Houston, $7,200: For failing to submit greenhouse gas emissions data report for eight reporting years. Pembina is a fuel supplier that imports and sells propane in Oregon.
City of Portland, $4,400: For failing to submit a complete greenhouse gas emissions data report for 2022 to DEQ. The city has since submitted the information.
City of Gervais, $1,275: For exceeding the effluent limits of a permit that allows it to discharge treated sewage to the Pudding River.
Tracy Loew covers the environment at the Statesman Journal. Send comments, questions and tips: tloew@statesmanjournal.com or 503-399-6779. Follow her on Twitter at @Tracy_Loew
This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Salem Home Depot fined for hazardous waste violations
