New Flyer of America, a bus assembly plant in Saint Cloud, paid $12,112.50 for hazardous waste violations. A Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) inspection in August 2024 found that the company failed to promptly clean up spilled zinc primer, which is a hazardous waste. The company also improperly disposed cardboard contaminated with the primer. The company also failed to properly close and clearly label containers of hazardous waste.
In addition to paying the penalty, the company agreed to complete the following corrective actions:
- properly dispose of hazardous waste
- submit photographs to the MPCA showing all spills of hazardous waste were recovered
- properly close and label hazardous waste containers
- submit a hazardous waste management plan to the MPCA
The MPCA remains committed to protecting human health and the environment by enforcing rules and regulations and limiting pollution emissions and discharges from facilities. When companies do not fully comply with regulatory requirements, the resulting pollution can be harmful to people and the environment.
When calculating penalties, the MPCA considers how seriously the violations affected or could have affected the environment, and whether they were first-time or repeat violations. The agency also attempts to recover the economic benefit the company gained by failing to comply with environmental laws in a timely manner.