NY DEC Investigating Salvage Yard

Williams Auto Salvage, a salvage yard located in Barton, NY, is under investigation the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation for allegedly not removing fluids from junk cars before crushing them and sending them to a shredding company.

The company, owned by Edward Williams, is currently being investigated by DEC officials, who visited the salvage yard last week, according to Captain Wood Erickson of DEC's division of law enforcement.

"Our visit to the salvage yard was in response to an investigation at Upstate Shredding Co. on state Route 34," he said.

The investigation arose from a complaint DEC received that several crushed cars at the shredding company were leaking oil, Erickson said.

"Environmental conservation officers responded and found crushed cars that were in fact leaking oil, which brought them (the investigators) back to the original source of the cars which was (Williams Auto Salvage) in the Town of Barton," he said.

This incident is still under investigation by DEC officials, Erickson said.

"Basically, the investigation centers around whether or not they were removing the fluids from the cars prior to crushing them, and the fluids include the engine lubricating oil, transmission fluids, radiator fluids and the refrigerants from the vehicles," he said. "Then, if there was oil released on the ground, there would have to be a clean-up. The site would assessed as to how much (oil) was released and what would be involved, and then the property owner would have to clean it up."

If DEC determines that Williams Auto Salvage did not remove the fluids from the vehicles before they were crushed, the business could face a fine from the state, Erickson stated.

"There are both civil and criminal sanctions that the junkyard faces," he said.

Erickson said DEC officials will be making additional visits to Williams Salvage Yard in the near future.

"The junkyard is cooperating with the investigation, so we will probably be making multiple visits there," he said. "Our hazardous substance spill unit is also involved in site assessment and with the property owners on the cleanup."

Calls to Waverly attorney Fred Luther, who is representing the salvage yard, were unreturned as of press time. Sayre (Pennsylvania) Evening Times