PLYMOUTH-On February 25 President Wharton received an official written complaint from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), issuing penalty fines totaling to 171, 050 dollars regarding “alleged violations of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act.” While the current fines are hefty, they may not be the final cost for the school: “There will be some discussion that occurs before a final fine is decided upon,” stated Michelle Hutchins of Public Relations. The fines are a result of the EPA’s unannounced visit in 2003. The school has already spent close to 52,000 dollars immediately following the EPA’s visit. The money was spent in to correct the violations.
A recent press release put forth by the Public Relations department stated, “An action agenda was developed immediately by the University to address a variety of concerns relative to the proper storage and disposal of chemicals noted by the inspectors.”
According to the EPA report, the problematic areas included: Boyd Hall,Draper and Maynard, PSU/Holderness Paint Shop, and Silver Cultural ArtsCenter. The EPA report cites that in the D&M Acid Etching Room (301) there are hazardous chemicals. However according to the report: ” The room did not contain any emergency spill equipment…[hazardous chemicals] were stored in various containers in a haphazard fashion throughout the room.”
The EPA also found poor storage of hazardous chemicals in room 109B, the glazing room of D&M. The report states that ” used gloves, rags, masks, as well as empty containers, and containers with excess prepared glazes were disposed of in nearby trash barrels, which Ms. Swete (PSU’s Health and Safety Coordinator) indicated were probably thrown out with the regular trash.” Among the other violations in D&M, the report acknowledged that a lot of hazardous chemicals were left over from the old art building (previously Hyde). According to the EPA, ceramics teacher Susan Tucker wanted the chemicals disposed of but “no one wanted to pay for the disposal costs.” Michelle Hutchins acknowledged that the art department was doing their annual inventory and that was one reason why supplies were left out in the open. Boyd was also held accountable for many violations. According toHutchins, however, Boyd wasn’t yet completed at the time, causing storage problems. The temporary trailers were being shipped off to Keene a couple of days before the EPA came. Therefore, the chemicals were moved to Boyd: “but the storage rooms weren’t complete, and the chemicals were accessible to anyone,” stated Hutchins.
During the EPA’s inspection of Boyd Hall, there was an emergency spill of hazardous chemicals. A box of cholorosulfic acid had fallen to the floor. The construction workers who notified the authorities noticed the spill. The spill was taken care of by Clean Harbor, a provider of hazardous waste removal services. In these chemical storage rooms, the EPA found a lack of fire control and spill clean up equipment.