On November 26, 2013, U.S. EPA filed a Consent Agreement and Final Order (CAFO) against G&K Services Company ( G&K ) to resolve alleged violations of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) at its facility in Justice, Illinois. G&K is an industrial launderer of uniforms and shop towels. G&K generated hazardous solvent waste by removing the waste solvent from shop towels prior to washing. The allegations included exceeding the 90-day limit on hazardous waste accumulation as well as failure to meet the applicable conditions necessary to exempt G&K from the requirement to obtain a hazardous waste storage permit, such as failure to comply with the hazardous waste tank requirements, maintain a contingency plan, provide training, and mark containers of hazardous waste. Other alleged violations included failure to properly complete manifests for hazardous waste water sludge shipped from the facility and failure to submit a required annual report to the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency.
G&K has agreed to pay a civil penalty of $280,000. The CAFO does not include any injunctive relief because of G&K's complying actions since the inspection and its response to EPA's initial Notice of Violation.