EL TORO : Marine Bases Scrub Toxic Waste Flaws

The Marine Corps air stations in Tustin and El Toro have agreed to correct violations of hazardous waste management more than two months after being cited by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for sloppy, illegal handling and storage of such materials, EPA officials said Friday.

“We are pleased with the cooperative working relationship we have developed with the Marine Corps and their substantial efforts to quickly correct environmental problems,” said Jeff Zelikson, director of hazardous waste management for EPA’s western regional office.

The agreements resolve notices of noncompliance issued on Aug. 6, when the EPA found violations of inadequate recordkeeping and maintenance of chemicals. Under the agreements, the facilities will correct all violations and conduct inventories to identify hazardous wastes generated at the annexes.

“These agreements will significantly contribute to a goal shared by EPA and the U.S. Marine Corps: protection of the health and environment of citizens who live and work in the vicinity of these air stations,” Zelikson said.

EPA officials said the air stations also agreed to develop plans to reduce the volume and toxicity of the hazardous wastes generated.

The Marine Corps bases, which use a wide variety of fuels and powerful solvents, are by far the largest producers of hazardous waste in Orange County, according to county health records. The bases are also the county’s two most polluted sites. The El Toro air station was included on the EPA’s Superfund list of the nations’s worst toxic-waste dumps because of widespread dumping of chemical on the base.

The notices of noncompliance listed 11 counts for each air station.

The Tustin base was cited for inadequate waste containment, such as the storage of materials in improperly labeled containers; insufficient security, including inadequate training of guards at the storage facilities; and deficient closure and contingency plans, including a lack of an outline of how repairs to storage facilities would be made. The base was also found to be operating an unauthorized storage unit and keeping inadequate records.

At the El Toro base, violations included an inadequate permit application; failure to properly identify wastes; inadequate waste analysis of what the base creates and handles; incomplete record maintenance, and inadequate waste containment, including the storage of wastes in a building that has cracks.