Western Washington University paid a $18,032 penalty for violations of state and federal hazardous waste management requirements.
Based on a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency tour of campus facilities in October 2022, the agency alleged a range of violations. This included failing to properly label several containers of hazardous waste, failing to close several containers of dangerous waste, and failing to train employees in how to manage wastes at Western’s main campus and its physical plant facilities, according to a consent agreement signed by Western and the United State Environmental Protection Agency on Dec. 20, 2024.
Western admitted to the “jurisdictional allegations” in the agreement but neither admitted nor denied the “specific factual allegations.”
Western’s Director of Communications Jonathan Higgins said Tuesday, Feb. 11 that the university “cooperated fully” with the agency at the time of the investigation and “with all subsequent requests for information.”
“As part of the agreement, the university has put in place remedies and is implementing practices that ensure these violations are not repeated in the future,” Higgins said.
Western is now required to conduct self-audits of compliance with hazardous waste regulations for the next three years and to submit a report to the EPA each year, according to the agreement.
“By requiring WWU to comply with hazardous waste laws, this action makes the campus safer and protects employees, students and visitors from potential exposure,” said Ed Kowalski, director of EPA Region 10’s Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Division, in a news release issued Tuesday, Feb. 11.
According to the agreement, the EPA lowered the civil penalty “based on information submitted by the Respondent to support its claim that it does not have the financial resources to pay a higher civil penalty.”
Charlotte Alden is CDN’s general assignment/enterprise reporter; reach her at charlottealden@cascadiadaily.com; 360-922-3090 ext. 123.
