The Washington Department of Ecology issued a $42,000 penalty to Cosmo Specialty Fibers for multiple dangerous waste violations.
The company has allowed hazardous waste to accumulate on site beyond the required treatment and disposal dates. The hazardous waste has sat for more than a year after a previous owner’s decision to suspend operations at the mill in December 2022.
Peter Lyon, who oversees Ecology’s Solid Waste Management Program, said hazardous waste regulations are designed to protect people and the environment from possible exposure to toxic chemicals.
“Even with operations at the mill temporarily suspended, the facility’s owner still has an obligation to properly manage their hazardous waste to protect the environment,” Lyon said. “We’ve worked with Cosmo Specialty Fibers to help them stay in compliance with the law, so they have the ability to reopen in the future.”
The company has 30 days to pay the penalty or appeal to the state Pollution Control Hearings Board.