HONOLULU — The state Department of Health has filed a complaint and order against Unitek Solvent Services for alleged violations of the state’s hazardous waster rules, a DOH press release stated yesterday. The July 21 complaint alleges that DOH inspectors
HONOLULU — The state Department of Health has filed a complaint and order against Unitek Solvent Services for alleged violations of the state’s hazardous waster rules, a DOH press release stated yesterday.
The July 21 complaint alleges that DOH inspectors found several violations in regards to used oil disposal in May 2004 at the company’s Kapolei, O‘ahu facility.
In addition to failures to make a hazardous waste determination, properly label containers, test for used oil halogens, notify the DOH of used halogen test failures and provide secondary containment for used oil storage tanks, the DOH has cited Unitek for failure to respond to requests for information.
Unitek president and CEO Blane Yamagata said yesterday the DOH lost the response.
“If we need to fight with them legally, we’re going to do that,” Yamagata said.
DOH Solid and Hazardous Waste Branch official Grace Simmons said yesterday that the DOH did not lose the response.
“It has taken us quite a while to get a response from them on certain issues,” she said. “As far as our records are concerned, we’ve called them on several occasions.”
A standard prehearing meeting between Unitek, which also has a facility in Lihu‘e, and the DOH has been set for Sept. 15.
Simmons said the DOH considers all the permit violations serious, but “the potential for harm is major” in Unitek’s alleged failure to provide secondary containment for used oil storage tanks if one leaked.
She said the DOH has not received any reports of leaks, which is required by the state in granting an oil-disposal permit, and no evidence of a leak was found in the 2004 inspection.
As to why the state waited more than two years to file a complaint on a potentially dangerous environmental situation, Simmons said the DOH had to wait for Unitek to acknowledge receipt of the inspection report.
“We give the facility the benefit of the doubt as far as coming into compliance,” she said. Normally, upon receipt of response, the DOH would conduct a follow-up inspection.
Instead, Simmons said there has been an ongoing correspondence with Unitek since 2004, but the company did not respond to the inspection report.
“Various other factors contributed to the delay,” she said, acknowledging that the process could have been swifter.
• Ford Gunter, associate editor, may be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 224) or fgunter@kauaipubco.com.
