Everett manufacturer settles oil spill fines for $222K

EVERETT, Wash. (AP) – An Everett plastic sheet manufacturer pays more than $ 222,000 to pay fines for two oil spills that polluted a rainwater pond and polluted local wildlife near an Everett creek.

In July 2018, an Achilles USA employee at the company’s South Everett facility dropped a movable bag of lube oil, causing the container to burst and spill into the building’s rainwater system, The Daily Herald reported. The oil was then flushed into an outside retention basin.

During the removal of this spill, the emergency services discovered that an overflowing sump in the facility also drained into the retention basin. A total of 340 gallons of oil was drained into the pond, which took three weeks to clean up.

The emergency services caught and cleaned six geese and a snake that were covered in oil. They also saw blue herons covered in oil, but could not catch them.

The State Department of Ecology initially cited Achilles USA $ 327,200 for liability, negligence and failure to notify authorities of the incident.

The settlement amount approved by the Washington Pollution Control Hearings Board will be used for environmental restoration, which will be administered by government agencies and nonprofits.

In a statement, Achilles named environmental stewardship a priority, noting that it has invested over $ 200,000 in spill prevention equipment and training for its employees, and has improved its environmental policies and spill prevention plans.