Pollution Update 3-13-14

Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) recently sent PeaceHealth a warning letter for hazardous waste law violations discovered by DEQ during an unannounced inspection last month at Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend in Springfield. The facility is classified as a “small quantity generator” of hazardous waste because it generates between 220 and 2,000 pounds of hazardous waste per month. Violations included hazardous waste-filled containers positioned so tightly together that they could not be inspected for leaks; failure to submit a hazardous waste contingency plan to fire, police and other emergency responders; failure to keep hazardous waste containers closed; failure to inspect hazardous waste on a weekly basis (including inspecting waste only once during some months); and failure to store mercury waste in proper containers and to label those containers. DEQ is giving PeaceHealth the opportunity to correct the violations, and has requested a written response documenting corrective measures by April 5.