[ADEQ Media] Attorney General Goddard and ADEQ Director Owens Announce $40, 000 Penalty for Hazardous Waste Violations by Trendwood, Inc. in South Phoenix

[media@lists.azdeq.gov]

Attorney General Goddard and ADEQ Director Owens Announce $40,000
Penalty for Hazardous Waste Violations by Trendwood, Inc. in South
Phoenix

PHOENIX (April 4, 2007) - Attorney General Terry Goddard and ADEQ
Director Steve Owens today announced that Trendwood, Inc. has agreed to
a $40,000 penalty for hazardous waste violations at the company's South
Phoenix facilities.

Trendwood, Inc. is a wood furniture manufacturer based in south Phoenix
with locations at 2402 S. 15th Avenue and 261 E. University.

"Hazardous waste violations that put employees or nearby residents at
risk are unacceptable," said ADEQ Director Owens. 

"These violations created significant safety risks," Attorney General
Goddard said. "The fact that they are longstanding makes them all the
more serious." 

ADEQ conducted inspections of both facilities following two fires in
April 2001 at the South Phoenix facility. The fires resulted from
improper handling and disposal of filters that were saturated with a
nitrocellulose-containing stain. The waste burst into flames inside an
improper disposal unit. After the first fire, on April 15, the Phoenix
Fire Prevention Unit ordered the company to stop putting waste in
dumpsters and to contact ADEQ for assistance on proper handling and
disposal. The company failed to do as ordered by Phoenix Fire, and the
second fire occurred April 29. 

Following the inspections, ADEQ issued two Notices of Violation to
Trendwood for failure to perform waste determinations, failure to
prevent fires and disposal of hazardous waste without a permit.
Trendwood stored unlabeled hazardous waste near an outside break area
for employees, and failed to take appropriate precautions to prevent a
fire at their facility. Further, the company had been improperly
disposing of hazardous waste for several years.

The consent judgment is subject to court approval.

-end-

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