Attorney General's News Release

October 14, 2011

Attorney General Koster announces judgment against Franklin County business for hazardous waste violations

Jefferson City, Mo. – Attorney General Chris Koster said today he has obtained a consent judgment against Precision Rebuilders, Inc., for alleged violations of the state’s Hazardous Waste Management Law.

Koster said Precision Rebuilders, located in St. Clair, is a re-manufacturer of a variety of parts for medium- and heavy-duty trucks. He said Department of Natural Resources (DNR) inspections discovered a number of violations of the Hazardous Waste Management Law, including failure to:

• determine if the solid waste generated at the facility was hazardous;
• obtain permits to operate as a hazardous waste storage facility and to store hazardous waste onsite;
• keep the facility contact person and generated waste codes updated with DNR;
• keep containers in which hazardous waste was stored in good condition and properly closed;
• store ignitable hazardous waste more than 50 feet of a property line;
• properly package, mark, or label containers of hazardous waste per Department of Transportation requirements;
• provide records showing that weekly inspections of the facility and daily inspections of areas subject to spills occurred;
• minimize the possibility of a fire, explosion, or other unplanned release of hazardous waste, which could threaten human health or the environment; and
• use a licensed hauler to remove hazardous waste from the facility.

"Taking care of our environment is a responsibility we all share," Koster said. "This office takes that responsibility seriously and will continue to vigorously enforce the laws governing the use of our natural resources."

Koster said under the judgment, the court ordered Precision Rebuilders to comply with the Missouri Hazardous Waste Management Law and assessed penalties of $25,000. He said the company will pay $15,000 to the Franklin County School Fund. The remaining $10,000 is suspended contingent on the company committing no repeat violations for two years. If the company fails to comply with the consent judgment, it will be required to pay $100 a day for each violation up to 30 days; $200 a day for each violation from 31 to 60 days; and $300 a day for each violation beyond 60 days. In addition, the company was ordered to pay all court costs.