EPA and Inglewood-based Rho-Chem Reach a $473,500 Settlement

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The federal Environmental Protection Agency said it has settled with Inglewood-based recycling and storage facility Rho-Chem regarding hazardous waste violations the agency found during a prior inspection.

Rho-Chem has agreed to improve its tracking and management of hazardous wastes with a new electronic system, buy the Los Angeles County Fire Department’s hazardous materials unit nearly $353,000 worth of emergency management equipment, pay a more than $120,500 penalty fee and apply to renew its hazardous waste permit. The company blends fuel, recycles solvents and repackages and distributes products.

EPA cited Rho-Chem for violations to the federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act it found during a September 2015 inspection that included not making hazardous waste determinations for certain waste, insufficiently maintaining and/or inspecting various areas of its facility and inadequately managing aspects of its operations, including operating records, and lastly, not getting the right hazardous waste treatment and storage permit.

As part of the agreement, Rho-Chem will have to revise its Waste Analysis Plan and its Closure Plan to close certain units at its facility, according to the EPA.

The company did not respond to calls for comments in time for publication.