A spill happens and your company is responsible. Luckily, you have a contingency plan. You put your plan into action while notifying your emergency response contractor. It might seem like the event is over once the spill is cleaned up , but in reality, there might be more work to come.
Federal and State regulators require reporting on spills in certain situations. The type of chemical involved, the quantity spilled, and the area where it was released all play a role in determining whether a spill has to be reported to regulating authorities. For instance, a spill of fifty gallons of cooking oil in a parking lot does not need to be reported, but a spill of one quart of motor oil into a lake does.
In some ways, knowing when and how to report spills can be as important as performing the cleanup itself. Failing to cleanup spills can result in serious fines for a business, but not reporting spills can also result in penalties. Reports must be detailed, and information has to be delivered in a timely manner. In Texas, responsible parties must submit an initial notification to the TCEQ hotline as soon as possible after a reportable spill occurs. A comprehensive follow up report detailing the spill and subsequent cleanup is required within thirty days of completion.
For businesses who handle multiple chemical products or hazardous wastes, keeping up with reporting requirements may become burdensome, especially when they may never even have a spill. Luckily, Protect Environmental, as an emergency response contractor, can keep your business in compliance. Our experienced team has worked with regulators at the local, state, and federal level for over twenty years. We know when to report, who to call, and what the next steps after a cleanup are.
Nearly every business is at risk of having a chemical spill. For the sake of your employees and your bottom line, make sure you have a reliable HazMat contractor on your side when one happens. Don’t hesitate to contact our office and find out what Protect Environmental can do to get your business up and running after a spill strikes.
Richard Cameron is the CEO of Protect Environmental Services.
Protect Environmental Services, Inc. (PESI) is your best-in-class “clutch” performer when you need a First Responder. PESI tackle & remediate the most dangerous chemical spills & removal of hazardous waste. In fact, our pursuit of safety & rapid response for environmental sustainability surpasses ALL other environmental service companies. PESI has been rapidly responding to emergency environmental calls in North Central Texas since 1996.
Richard is also a published author of the “Ebola Response Procedures.” Additionally, he is considered an expert witness to many litigation and mediation cases. He works with multiple law enforcement agencies in forensics to hunt down illegal dumping perpetrators.