Boston — The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) has assessed a $26,000 penalty against The Suttles Truck Leasing Co. for violating state hazardous waste management, industrial wastewater, and underground storage tank regulations. An inspection of the facility in April 2011 by MassDEP following a nitric acid release found the company in violation of hazardous waste requirements, including failure to notify the department of hazardous waste activity and of waste oil recycling, failure to comply with container management requirements, and storing waste oil longer than allowed. Other violations included operating a wastewater pre-treatment system without a licensed wastewater treatment operator, failure to keep inventory records for underground storage tanks on the property, and failure to comply with other underground storage tank requirements. A payment of $6,500 is being required, with the remainder being suspended if the company returns to compliance. In addition, MassDEP is requiring three supplemental environmental projects – at a cost of $19,500 – involving providing a thermal imaging unit for the Grafton Fire Department, $10,000 to help fund the Grafton’s Reverse 911 System, and emergency responder hazardous materials cargo tank training for up to 100 members of the Grafton, Upton, Oxford, and New Bedford fire departments. The nitric acid incident caused release of a vapor cloud and forced officials to evacuate the neighborhood, including the North Grafton Elementary School. Company officials blamed the release on employee error. The vapor cloud, which appeared to have a reddish tint, resulted when an employee mistakenly mixed four gallons of nitric acid with 20 gallons of wastewater in a 200-gallon container, Fire Chief Michael Gauthier said, explaining that nitric acid reacts violently when mixed with water.
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