U.S. EPA fines Fender Musical Instruments Corp.

As reported in the US EPA's Daily New Release

LOS ANGELES - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today fined Fender Musical Instruments Corp. $78,861 and Goodrich Aerostructures Group $66,500 for violating numerous federal hazardous waste requirements at their Southern California facilities.

“We trust today’s action sends the right message -- hazardous waste generating companies must follow all federal regulations to protect their employees, surrounding communities and the environment,” said Jeff Scott, the EPA’s Waste Management Division director for the EPA’s Pacific Southwest region. “Proper storage, handling, and preparation for emergencies involving hazardous waste are critical responsibilities.”

During a routine inspection of the Fender facility in 2008, EPA investigators found that the musical instruments manufacturer had multiple hazardous waste violations at its plant located at 311 Cessna Circle in Corona, Calif. Fender:
• stored hazardous wastes without a permit;
• failed to provide adequate aisle space for hazardous storage containers;
• failed to inspect hazardous waste storage areas;
• failed to close hazardous waste storage containers;
• failed to provide required personnel training; and
• failed to determine if wastes generated were hazardous.