EPA Settles HazWaste Cases

The Environmental Protection Agency announced that it has settled legal action with three hazardous waste firms - one in Tijuana and two in San Diego. The settlement requires the three companies to pay $25,000 for violations of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act.

The three companies -- Samex Environmental Services, Hazardous Materials Transportation, Inc. and Servicios Ambientales Mexicanos, S.A de C.V. -- are being cited for violations involving improperly characterizing, manifesting and packaging hazardous waste that had been transported from Mexico into the United States.

"Today's action proves that the EPA will go after any company -- U.S. or foreign -- that violates hazardous waste laws in the U.S.  We won't let a border be a shield against liability for violations," said Jeff Scott, Waste Management director of the EPA.

Samex collects, transports and arranges for disposal in the United States of hazardous waste from maquiladoras in Mexico. Under Mexican law, maquiladoras must dispose of their hazardous wastes in the United States.

Among the violations alleged by the U.S. EPA were: two loads of hazardous waste that burst into flame, one at the customs port at Otay Mesa, the other on the open road in Riverside County. All of the violations occurred in the United States.