Lab responds to compliance order from state

Contact: James Rickman, (505) 665-9203 (99-188)

Recent News Los Alamos scientist named Asian American Engineer of the Year Los Alamos scientist featured in NASA science update Los Alamos muon detector could thwart nuclear smugglers Wojciech H. Zurek named Phi Beta Kappa visiting scholar Four Los Alamos physicists honored by American Physical Society Los Alamos National Laboratory organizations earn seven out of 13 NNSA Pollution Prevention awards Carter Hydrick returns to the Bradbury Science Museum Feb. 15 Laboratory supports summer science program New NASA IBEX mission to carry Los Alamos instrument Beason takes top threat reduction post at Los Alamos

LOS ALAMOS, N.M., Dec. 21, 1999 -- The U.S. Department of Energy's Los Alamos National Laboratory has received a compliance order from the New Mexico Environment Department that proposes a penalty of $1,168,766 for alleged violations of the New Mexico Hazardous Waste Act and New Mexico Hazardous Waste Management Regulations.

"None of the alleged violations posed an immediate risk to the health and safety of the public," said Dennis Erickson, director of Los Alamos' Environment, Safety and Health Division, speaking on behalf of the Laboratory. "We continue to work to ensure that all concerns surrounding these alleged violations are addressed."

The order - issued against DOE and the Regents of the University of California, which operates the Laboratory on behalf of the Energy Department - lists 29 alleged violations that were discovered by personnel from NMED's Hazardous and Radioactive Materials Bureau during an inspection conducted between July and December 1997. During this "wall-to-wall" inspection, NMED officials investigated every Laboratory technical area.

The Laboratory comprises dozens of individual technical areas located on 43 square miles of land area; about 1,400 major buildings and other facilities are part of the Laboratory. Researchers at Los Alamos work on initiatives related to the Laboratory's central mission of enhancing global security as well as on basic research in a variety of disciplines. As result of the scientific and technical work conducted at Los Alamos, the Laboratory generates, treats and stores hazardous wastes and mixed hazardous and radioactive wastes.

As listed in the compliance order, the 29 alleged violations include failures to perform required waste characterization, failures to maintain adequate control of waste by generators, a lack of training refresher courses for some employees, improperly marking waste containment vessels or maintaining proper paperwork, failure to close a waste container, and the absence of an eyewash station at a facility that handles hazardous wastes.

Los Alamos officials will meet with NMED officials to respond to the allegations.

"The Laboratory has made improvements in our processes and we have worked intensively and intentionally to ensure continuing compliance with all state and federal laws and regulations," Erickson said.