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newsrel -- Gold country waste hauler fined $18,375 for emissions violations
Posted: 21 Sep 2009 11:46:29
Diesel emissions produce the most prevalent airborne carcinogen in California's air. Release 09-86 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 21, 2009 Dimitri Stanich 916-322-2825 www.arb.ca.gov Gold country waste hauler fined $18,375 for emissions violations SACRAMENTO- The California Air Resources Board fined Waste Connections Inc. $18,375 in July for emissions violations in 2008. In December 2008, Waste Connections Inc., headquartered in Folsom, Calif., purchased S.E.I. Solid Waste Inc. located in Arnold, Calif. Waste Connections then self-disclosed to ARB inspectors that S.E.I vehicles were not compliant with California's trash truck rules. "Solid waste collection companies must do their part to ensure their fleets make improvements to cut excessive diesel emissions," said Chairman Mary D. Nichols. "ARB commends this company for the commitment to clean air demonstrated by its self-reporting the problem." Waste Connections provided an aggressive schedule for bringing the fleet into compliance, as well as submitting to a statewide audit for all of their California terminals for compliance with the ARB's smoke inspection, engine labeling and trash truck programs. The law requires owners of California-registered truck fleets to regularly inspect their vehicles to ensure that their engine emissions meet state air quality standards. As part of the settlement, Waste Connections is required to: * Guarantee employees responsible for conducting the inspections attend a California Community College training class on diesel emissions compliance testing and provide certificates of completion within one year; * Provide documentation to ARB that timely inspections are being carried out for the next four years; * Ensure all applicable heavy-duty diesel vehicles have their software updated with the latest low-NOx (oxides of nitrogen emissions) programming; * Instruct vehicle operators to comply with the state's idling regulations; * Retrofit, repower or replace the appropriate number of solid waste collection vehicles with the best available control technology; * Comply with all requirements applicable to solid waste collection vehicles; and, * Ensure all diesel truck engines are up to federal emissions standards for the vehicle model year and are properly labeled with an emission control certification label. Waste Connections paid $18,375 in penalties: $13,781.25 went to the California Air Pollution Control Fund for projects and research to improve California's air quality. The Peralta Community College District received $2,296.88 to fund emissions education classes conducted by participating California community colleges; and, the remaining $2,296.87 went to the California Pollution Control Financing Authority which guarantees loans to off-road vehicle fleets that need to buy exhaust retrofits to comply with state regulations. Diesel exhaust contains a variety of harmful gases and over 40 other known cancer-causing substances. In 1998, California identified diesel exhaust as a toxic air contaminant based on its potential to cause cancer, premature death and other health problems. New research links vehicle exhaust and lung cancer mortality in trucking industry workers exposed to diesel and other types of vehicle emissions with increasing years of work. The Air Resources Board is a department of the California Environmental Protection Agency. ARB's mission is to promote and protect public health, welfare, and ecological resources through effective reduction of air pollutants while recognizing and considering effects on the economy. The ARB oversees all air pollution control efforts in California to attain and maintain health based air quality standards. The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy cost, see our web site at http://www.arb.ca.gov #####