Transcription of Oregon Department of Environmental Quality News Release
1 Oregon Department of Environmental Quality news Release Release Date: Feb. 9, 2015 Contact: Kieran O Donnell, Environmental Law Specialist, Portland, 503-229-5012 Laurey Cook, Hazardous Waste Program, Portland, 503-229-5015 DEQ fines Oregon Health and Science University for hazardous waste violations The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality fined Oregon Health and Science University $6,750 for hazardous waste violations at its hospital and laboratory. The facility is located at 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Road in Portland. DEQ cited Oregon Health and Science University for failing to make a hazardous waste determination and failing to label hazardous waste with an accumulation start date. DEQ also cited the facility, without civil penalty, for failing to label hazardous waste with the words "hazardous waste," failing to maintain aisle space and failing to label universal waste lamps and batteries.
2 DEQ issued this penalty because hazardous wastes must be properly identified, managed and disposed in order to protect the environment, employees and the public. DEQ is especially concerned by the number of violations and the number of waste streams involved in the violations. In determining the penalty amount, DEQ considered the facility s efforts to correct the violations by cleaning up its 90-day accumulation storage area and properly labeling hazardous waste. Oregon Health and Science University did not appeal the penalty. Oregon Department of Environmental Quality 811 SW Sixth Avenue, Portland, OR 97204 | Tel/503-229-5696
