The Washington state Department of Ecology has fined the U.S. Postal Service $33,000 for improperly managing and storing dangerous waste at its Seattle Bulk Mail Center in Federal Way.
The violations were discovered during a 2024 inspection, the agency said in a news release on Tuesday.
At the Seattle Bulk Mail Center, leaking or damaged packages are set aside for disposal. If those damaged packages contain materials classified as dangerous waste, such as insecticides, propane, paints, or cleaning products, the facility is required to properly identify it, assess the hazards, and then safely store and dispose of the materials.
The Department of Ecology also found violations in how the center was identifying and storing packages containing dangerous wastes, along with other hazardous wastes from the facilities operations and vehicle maintenance in 2018, 2019, 2022 and last year.
The amount of dangerous waste fluctuated but was significant at times; in 2022, the Postal Service estimated it had 4.6 tons on site. While awaiting disposal, containers were often unlabeled and stored in crowded areas, increasing the risk of unintended chemical reactions that could pose a threat to human health and the environment, the state agency said.
“We expect businesses that generate hazardous waste to take the regulations seriously,” said Christa Colouzis, Northwest Region manager for Ecology’s Hazardous Waste and Toxics Reduction program. “Knowing what wastes you have and how to safely store them is the first step to preventing problems. If dangerous waste isn’t properly managed, it can quickly become a safety issue for people and the environment.”
In 2024, the department found that the USPS failed to:
- Determine whether waste is dangerous and the potential threat they posted;
- Safely store the waste (including maintaining adequate distance between aisles, using secondary containment, labeling containers and inspecting weekly);
- Properly manage universal waste such as batteries and fluorescent bulbs;
- Maintain personnel training records
The Postal Service has corrected the violations, according to the news release. It has 30 days to pay the penalty or appeal it to the Washington Pollution Hearings Board.
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