Parker Hannifin pays $366K after EPA inspection finds hazardous waste violations
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has reached an agreement with Parker Hannifin to settle allegations that the company violated the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. The EPA inspected the company’s Enumclaw, Washington, facility and uncovered over 12 violations. These violations include:
- Treating dangerous waste without a permit
- Failing to adequately train staff about the risks associated with the treatment, handling, and storage of hazardous materials
- Not following appropriate management standards for containers of hazardous waste
- Failing to conduct inspections of the facility
To settle its alleged violations, Parker Hannifin will pay $366,000 in penalties.
The company, which manufactures hydraulic equipment and other industrial products, has a history of environmental violations. In 2019, the Washington Department of Ecology cited the facility for multiple violations. In 2023, the EPA discovered that the violations had not been corrected and so increased the penalty to account for this history of non-compliance. Additionally, the Enumclaw facility was discovered to be in violation of the Clean Water Act, with multiple violations of the general industrial stormwater permit.
What people are saying
In a recent quote, Ed Kowalski, director of EPA Region 10’s Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Division said, “Hazardous waste regulations are in place to protect people and our environment. It's particularly troubling when a state cites a company for violations and the company fails to take compliance seriously. This case is an example of how the partnership between EPA and state agencies is critical to holding repeat violators accountable and protecting people and the environment from hazardous wastes.”
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About the Author
Alexis GajewskiAlexis Gajewski
Senior Content Strategist
Alexis Gajewski is a manufacturing writer and editor with nearly 20 years of experience covering the people, practices, and technologies that keep industrial facilities running. For more than a decade, she served as Senior Content Strategist for Plant Services, creating content for plant managers, engineers, and maintenance professionals on a variety of industrial topics.
During her tenure, Alexis worked to develop the brand’s digital strategy and helped launch and produce Great Question: A Manufacturing Podcast. She also created The Lighter Side of Manufacturing, a weekly blog that explored the inventive and sometimes humorous side of the industry.
Alexis co-founded Influential Women in Manufacturing, a recognition program that honored 49 women in its first two years, earned an industry award for Best Product Launch, and received a proclamation from Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and a commendation from U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth.
She also led newsroom operations and development at a large media company where she set editorial standards, developed training curriculum, and helped support AI adoption for more than 150 editors across 80+ brands spanning manufacturing, industrial processing, automation, and more.
Additionally, Alexis works as a freelance writer and editor, and her areas of interest include continuous improvement, the skilled workforce, and the role of emerging technology on the plant floor.
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