State fines Washougal company $25K for improperly managing hazardous waste

The Washington Department of Ecology has fined a Washougal company $25,000 for improperly managing hazardous waste.

The state said this month that Burlington Environmental, located at 632 S. 32nd St., in the Camas-Washougal Industrial Park, improperly stored dangerous waste on its Washougal site for several months and failed to adequately train its employees to manage the waste.

“Businesses in many parts of Washington and Oregon count on Burlington Environmental to safely handle and dispose of their waste, so it’s essential for a company like this to fully understand and comply with Washington’s dangerous waste regulations,” Katrina Lassiter, Ecology’s hazardous waste and toxics reduction program manager, stated in a news release. “We all rely on those regulations to protect our water quality, environment, and the health of our communities.”

Burlington Environmental, a subsidiary of Clean Earth, a Pennsylvania-based specialty waste company, acts as a transfer facility, collecting waste from commercial clients in Oregon and Washington and transporting the waste to disposal facilities. The company manages dangerous and solid waste, including pharmaceuticals, pesticides, aerosols and flammable materials. Ecology said the materials can — if managed improperly — harm people, animals and the environment. The company is located near the environmentally sensitive Steigerwald Lake National Wildlife Refuge.

Ecology inspectors have observed several violations at Burlington Environmental since December 2022, and encouraged the company to voluntarily comply with the state’s dangerous waste regulations.