EPA Compliance Violations Result in $187M in Fines in FY 2013

Hazardous Waste Disposal by the Numbers

The FY 2013 EPA Enforcement and Compliance Annual Results reports the agency’s scope of enforcement actions, and the report shows high levels of activity and fines from the EPA during the past fiscal year resulting from improper hazardous waste disposal.

The report, issued in early 2014, provides a bird’s eye view of regulatory activity from the agency in all areas, ranging from oversight and fines of the Deepwater Horizon Gulf oil spill to commercial hazardous waste management.

The figures from the report indicate the EPA continues to actively enforce compliance violations. In FY 2013, the EPA reported:

• $187 million in fines for violations of environmental policies
• 18,000 inspections and evaluations conducted
• 148 million pounds of hazardous waste produced by companies required to be treated, minimized or properly disposed of
• 2,418 civil judicial and administrative cases against commercial enterprises were initiated
• 2,489 civil judicial and administrative cases against commercial enterprises were concluded

Preparing for Change

The data shows the EPA is committed to maintaining regulatory enforcement over hazardous waste in retail and other industries even as the agency looks to streamline its processes and undertake modernization efforts.

The EPA is currently conducting a thorough review of rules and regulations on retail hazardous waste management as part of its Notice of Data Availability process. The outcome of the NODA report could result in increased complexity and changing rules in regard to hazardous waste collection and disposal.

In addition, with the agency’s shift to a national electronic manifest (e-Manifest) system by 2015, compliance rules governing how hazardous waste is recorded, catalogued and communicated will grow tighter. The EPA is currently working with states and industry leaders to help prepare retailers and other enterprises for the e-Manifest system.