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The Honolulu Advertiser
Updated at 5:30 p.m., Thursday, July 3, 2008

Pearl Harbor shipyard, subcontractor fined $110K for waste violations

Advertiser Staff

Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard and a subcontractor are facing a penalty of $110,000 for violations of state hazardous waste rules.

The Department of Health conducted evaluation inspections on Nov. 30, 2006, and found more than 5,000 gallons of corrosive hazardous waste in 10 separate tanks on Bravo Pier 13 that were not properly labeled.

The tanks contained acidic rinse waters with high levels of heavy metals, including chromium and lead from cleaning ship boilers and air conditioning. Some tanks were stored for more than nine days on the pier and a few yards from the ocean.

Hawai'i Marine Cleaning and Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard were cited for three instances of storing hazardous waste without a permit. Both facilities have been ordered to comply with state hazardous waste rules and have 20 days to respond to the order.

A case will be set for a hearing if the order is contested.