GNYADA March 2017 Newsletter

Dealer Pays $194K for Improper Hazardous Waste Disposal Avoid harsh penalties at your dealership

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Last month, a New York dealer and one employee were found guilty of violating the New York State Environmental Conservation Law (ECL), paying over $194,000 in fines and restitution as a result. The dealership had buried more than 140 gallons of hazardous substances at their facility, including four 55 gallon drums of used oil, containers of used oil filters, and approximately 20 tires. In addition, the dealership drained automotive fluids from inside their facility outside into a pit in the ground. Lastly, the dealership had a large, unprotected pile of solid waste, classifying them as a solid waste management facility, without the proper permit. To avoid severe fines, dealerships must make sure that any hazardous waste generated at their facility is properly disposed of and properly labeled. Sometimes nonhazardous waste is mislabeled as hazardous; if so, it must be disposed of as hazardous waste. (Hazardous waste disposal is much more expensive than nonhazardous waste disposal/recycling.) Additionally, hazardous waste must be stored and managed differently than nonhazardous waste. Hazardous waste has one or more of the following characteristics: Ignitability (flash point <140°F) Toxicity (harmful when ingested or absorbed, fails the TCLP chemical analysis test) Corrosiveness (pH level of 2 or lower or 12.5 or greater) Reactivity (unstable, violent reactions with water) To review the New York State Department of Environmental Protection's hazardous waste list, visit http://www.dec.ny.gov/regulations/8765.html . n n n n Defining hazardous waste

Examples of potentially hazardous wastes generated at dealerships

Solvent Paint waste Lead acid batteries Florescent light bulbs Gasoline Contaminated oil Air bags

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Examples of (often) nonhazardous wastes generated at dealerships

Used oil Used tires Drained oil filters Used antifreeze

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Dealers can avoid violations, fines, and legal action by staying educated on hazardous waste rules and regulations, including labeling and disposal methods.

Call Walden Environmental Engineering, a GNYADA Allied Member, at 516.624.7200 for more information regarding hazardous waste disposal.

Disposing of hazardous waste in appropriate intervals is also very important. Disposing of it too quickly can cause your dealership to be categorized as a Large Quantity Generator, subjecting you to additional hazardous waste taxes.

Greater New York Automobile Dealers Association • www.gnyada.com

The Newsletter • March 2017

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