According to the Environmental Protection Agency, Sandvik Materials Technology will pay a USD 160,000 penalty as settlement for alleged improper storage of hazardous waste and improper record keeping.

The EPA announced that the South Abington Twp based steel products fabricator violated the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, a statute governing treatment, storage and disposal of hazardous waste. The company's violations did not involve discharges of hazardous waste.

Two alleged violations pertain to a mischaracterized tank that held manufacturing material, and the others pertain to storage requirements.

Through the settlement, Sandvik does not admit or deny liability, but Mr Peter Frosini president of Sandvik issued a statement confirming the company's cooperation with EPA.

He added that "The company has taken steps to address these concerns and to ensure these alleged violations do not occur in the future. Most importantly, none of these alleged violations had any impact to employees, the public or the environment."

Inspections in September 2007 and August 2008 yielded violations such as operating a hazardous waste storage facility without a permit, failure to keep one container of hazardous waste closed, failure to conduct daily and weekly inspections, and failure to provide an adequate hazardous waste management training program, according to the EPA.

(Sourced from www.scrantontimes.com)