A specialty wood finishing company in Auburn will pay $5,000 to the Department of Ecology under an agreement to settle an appeal of a larger penalty.
 
Ecology fined Numatic Finishing Corp. $20,000 last year for improperly managing dangerous wastes.
 
In the settlement, the company agrees to the reduced penalty. Ecology agrees to suspend $15,000, provided that the facility remains in compliance with state dangerous waste requirements for the next two years. The $15,000 is payable if Numatic repeats any of the violations cited in the original penalty.
 
The company agrees to maintain its compliance with requirements that include:

• Determining whether its wastes should be designated as dangerous waste so that the materials can be properly managed.

• Properly labeling its dangerous waste containers so employees and contractors can take appropriate safety precautions to prevent or respond to emergencies.

• Keeping minimum aisle space for emergency personnel and equipment.

• Properly replacing and maintaining spill and decontamination equipment. 
  Numatic applies lacquer finishes to wood products such as doors, paneling, flooring and moldings. Its wastes include ignitable and toxic solvents and leftover paints that can release harmful vapors or cause fires if not properly managed.

Washington’s dangerous waste regulations set standards to protect the public, workers and the environment from releases of potentially harmful waste materials at commercial and industrial facilities. Ecology inspects workplaces that generate dangerous wastes to ensure compliance with requirements for safe handling and storage.