Entries by hazzmatt1

PFAS – EPA Interim Guidance on How to Say Goodbye to Your “Forever Chemicals”

January 21, 2021 in , , /by

Written by Janessa Glenn, Dawn Lamparello, Steve Morton, and Cliff Rothenstein, K&L Gates LLP In response to Congressional direction in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020, Public Law No: 116-92, on 18 December 2020, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued “Interim Guidance on the Destruction and Disposal of Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances and Materials Containing Perfluoroalkyl […]

Ammonia-Nitrogen Spill results in $500,000 fine for Quebec Intermunicipal Board

January 18, 2021 in , , , /by

The Régie intermunicipale du centre de valorisation des matières résiduelles du Haut-Saint-François et de Sherbrooke, also known as Valoris, recently pleaded guilty in the Sherbrooke, Quebec courthouse to one count of contravening subsection 36(3) of the Fisheries Act, which prohibits the discharge of a deleterious substance into waters frequented by fish. The guilty plea was the result […]

Midas Gold Reaches Agreement to Begin Environmental Restoration at Abandoned Mine Site in Idaho

January 18, 2021 in , , /by

Midas Gold Corp., presently headquartered in British Columbia, recently announced, following three years of extensive discussions, that U.S. federal agencies have authorized and directed the Company to perform agree-upon clean up actions to address contaminated legacy conditions within Idaho’s abandoned Stibnite mining district that are negatively impacting water quality. While Midas Gold did not cause the legacy environmental problems […]

Is Hazardous Waste Management Part of the Circular Economy?

January 18, 2021 in , , /by

Written by Supreet Kaur, ALTECH Environmental Consulting Ltd. and John Nicholson, Editor, Hazmat Management Magazine There is a growing movement from every sector of the economy that recognizes that there needs to be a focus on a sustainable future by minimizing waste and maintaining natural resources. With the increase in industrialization, the main problem in […]

Emergency Preparedness and Prevention under the U.S. Hazardous Waste Generator Improvements Rule

January 14, 2021 in , , , , /by

Written by Ryan W. Trail, Williams Mullen Generators of hazardous waste have long understood the importance of emergency preparedness and prevention to regulatory compliance and facility safety.  Contingency planning and coordination with emergency service providers have been requirements of United States Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) regulations for many years.  For states that have […]

Here’s the Deal: New Directions in Environmental Enforcement Under Biden?

January 14, 2021 in , /by

Written by Gerald F. George, Davis Wright Tremaine LLP On December 23, 2020, the federal government published its inflation-adjusted civil penalties for a variety of environmental statutes, including the Clean Air Act (CAA) and the Clean Water Act (CWA). Those $25,000 per day or per violation penalties in the original statutes have now reached substantially higher levels, mostly […]

$20 Million U.S. TSCA/Lead-Based Paint Penalty: Expensive Reminder to Manage and Audit Contractors’ Joint Regulatory Liabilities

January 5, 2021 in , , , /by

Written by Patrick Larkin and Maram T. Salaheldin  Clark Hill PLC  Renovation of homes built before 1978 frequently disturbs lead-based paint (LBP) and poses significant health risks, particularly for children. For this reason, companies that perform or subcontract renovation services are required to provide very specific, written LBP warnings and education materials to residents. Failure to […]

Canadian Government Invests $5.1 million of Great Lakes Clean-up Efforts

December 10, 2020 in , , , /by

The Government of Canada recently announced $5.1 million in funding for 46 new projects to protect and restore the Great Lakes through the Great Lakes Protection Initiative in 2020–21. The Great Lakes Protection Initiative supports projects that address key Great Lakes priorities such as restoring areas of concern, preventing toxic and nuisance algae, reducing releases of […]

Addressing new and emerging challenges in nuclear emergency response

December 9, 2020 in /by

Written by Steven Pike, Argon Electronics Radioactivity and natural sources of radiation are ever-present features in our environment, with radioactive substances playing an invaluable role in the development of global medicine, industry and agriculture. The risk that exposure to radiation can pose to workers and the wider public however is something that must be continuously monitored and […]

Assessing the Long-term Performance and Impacts of ISCO and ISBR Remediation Technologies

December 9, 2020 in , , /by

The Environmental Security Technology Certification Program (ESTCP), the U.S, Department of Defence’s environmental technology demonstration and validation program, recently issued a Fact Sheet that summarizes the results of a recent remediation project that assessed the long-term performance of in-situ chemical oxidation (ISCO) and fracturing-enhanced in-situ bioremediation (ISBR) at a site contaminated by trichloroethene (TCE), 1,4-dioxane (dioxane), and chromium.  The […]