Iowa Electronics Recycler Faces Action For Alleged Dumping of CRTs

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster):  Sioux City, Iowa-based Recycletronics is facing enforcement action for alleged illegal stockpiling of CRT monitors at its facilities across the state. In a hearing held this week, the Iowa Environment Protection Commission (EPC) has voted to transfer the long-pending case to the Attorney General (AG). The AG will now renegotiate with the facility owner on appropriate settlement.

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) had received complaints about the facility in 2014 itself. An inspection by officials found that the site was storing CRTs in violation of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). The concerns were later on passed to US EPA. Several site inspections were conducted by EPA authorities. However the company refused to provide the requested documents.

Following this, federal and state inspectors carried out unannounced visits to the site, which found several instances of violations. The inspection revealed that the site resulted in lead contamination caused by piles of devices stored on grounds outside the warehouse area. The containers used to store leaded glass devices were found broken. Following this DNR had prohibited the company from accepting more such devices prior to fixing the cited violations. Further, it rejected the company’s request to renew its license.

The company was asked to shut down its main site. Further inspections carried out by the EPA authorities on all the six company sites found excessive soil contamination caused by careless and illegal storage of broken lead glasses in open grounds. Leaded and non-leaded glass was found mixed together. In addition, glass was found burned and buried at one of the sites. The inspection also revealed that the facility had accepted CRTs even after being told not to do so by the regulators. It was after this that the DNR decided to hand over the case to Iowa Attorney General, thereby calling for a state enforcement action in the wake of violation of the state solid waste regulations.

Meantime, sources indicate that the company has also failed to make repayment of a loan that was used to purchase equipment including an auto crusher and glass cutter. The company currently owes nearly $75,000 and its interest in loan repayments. Also, the equipment purchased with the help of the loan are cited to be in extremely poor condition and unrecoverable.

Recycletronics owner Aaron Rochester stated that the company is presently cleaning up the sites and that it needs some more time to clean up the grounds.