News Release – DOH Cites Petroleum Company for Hazardous Waste Violations

STATE OF HAWAIʻI

KA MOKU ʻĀINA O HAWAIʻI

 

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

KA ʻOIHANA OLAKINO

JOSH GREEN, M.D.
GOVERNOR

KE KIA‘ĀINA

KENNETH S. FINK, M.D., MGA, MPH
DIRECTOR

KA LUNA HO‘OKELE

DOH CITES PETROLEUM COMPANY FOR HAZARDOUS WASTE VIOLATIONS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 12, 2025                                                                                                            25-050

HONOLULU — The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) has issued a Notice of Violation and Order (NOVO) against Par Hawaii Refining (Par) for violating the state’s hazardous waste management laws. Par has been cited for the following:

• Illegal disposal of hazardous waste at a facility not permitted to dispose of hazardous waste,
• Failure to make a hazardous waste determination, and
• Failure to use a uniform hazardous waste manifest for transportation of hazardous waste.

The Utah Department of Environmental Quality (UDEQ) provided information to DOH from the receiving landfill located in Utah. The information indicates that Par shipped six drums of waste to the non-hazardous waste landfill as “Non-Department of Transportation (DOT)-Regulated (Neutralized Acid Solid)” and “Non-DOT Regulated (Acid Solid Residue).” However, analytical test results later revealed that the waste was hazardous waste due to the toxicity of its chromium content.

The NOVO alleges that Par failed to make a proper hazardous waste determination because it shipped the waste before receiving analytical results that showed it was a hazardous waste. The regulations require hazardous waste to be shipped using a uniform hazardous waste manifest to facilities permitted to properly treat, store, or dispose of hazardous waste. The NOVO alleges that Par failed to ship the waste using the correct manifest and failed to properly dispose of the waste at a permitted hazardous waste facility.

Par has been assessed a fine of $169,500 for the three violations. In addition to paying the penalty, Par has been ordered to undertake corrective actions, including but not limited to training its employees, to correct the violations. Par has 20 days to respond to the order.

To protect Hawai‘i from pollutants that endanger people and the environment, the DOH regulates the generation, transportation, treatment, storage and disposal of hazardous waste. The DOH Solid & Hazardous Waste Branch promotes pollution prevention and waste minimization, develops partnerships with waste generators and the regulated community, guides the rehabilitation of contaminated lands and aggressively enforces environmental laws.

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Media Contact:

Kristen Wong

Information Specialist

Mobile: 808-953-9616