Container Life Cycle Management (CLCM) will pay $1.65 million as part of a pre-suit settlement with the state and U.S. departments of justice after the company allegedly made clean air and hazardous materials violations.
CLCM is owned by
Greif Inc., an Ohio-based manufacturer of industrial packaging and containers. The company does business locally as
Mid-America Steel Drum Company.
CLCM, which refurbishes 55-gallon steel drums and large plastic chemical containers for reuse and recycling, operates plants in Oak Creek, St. Francis and Milwaukee.
Following allegations that CLCM committed various violations at its three Wisconsin facilities, the state Department of Justice began an investigation. That investigation allegedly found CLCM emitted particulate matters from its spray booths in excess of air permit limits from March 28, 2017, through Aug. 6, 2017, at its Oak Creek facility. The company also failed to maintain complete logs for inspections of the spray booths.
At the St. Francis facility, it is alleged CLCM failed to use filters within its spray booths and exceeded the opacity limit in its air permit and emission limitations. The DOJ also alleges that at all three Milwaukee-area facilities, CLCM stored hazardous waste and treated it without a proper license.
Out of the $1.65 million penalty, the state will receive $850,000, including $544,217.69 in forfeitures and $50,000 in attorney fees. CLCM must now comply with a container management plan that specifies how the company must review, store, characterize and dispose of incoming containers that contain hazardous waste. The plan will be in effect for two years. CLCM has also installed technology to treat air emissions at its St. Francis facility.
“This resolution sends a clear message that our hazardous waste laws must be followed,” said state Attorney General Josh Kaul. “It will also help prevent unlawful air pollution at CLCM’s facilities in Wisconsin in the future.”
