The owner of a plastics recycling company in El Dorado, Kan., faces the possibility of prison time and a fine over the handling of hazardous waste, according to federal authorities.
Integrated Plastics Solutions LLC also will pay more than $118,000 in restitution to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency after allowing paints and solvents to be dumped on its grounds, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said in a statement.
The owner of Integrated Plastic Solutions, Brian J. Riley, of Andover, Kan., faces a maximum penalty of up to one year in prison and a fine of up to $100,000 after pleading guilty to one count of negligent exposure to a hazardous air pollutant, Grissom said.
“In his plea, he admitted the company stored hazardous wastes at its facility in the form of paints, solvents and other chemicals. The paints and solvents contained ethyl benzene, which is classified as a hazardous air pollutant. After becoming aware that the Kansas Department of Health and Environment was investigating the company's waste handling practices, Riley allowed some paints and solvents to be dumped on the IPS grounds, releasing ethyl benzene and exposing employees to the risk of flash fire and explosion,” the U.S. Attorney's Office said in a statement.
Sentencing is scheduled for March 30, the office said.
Integrated Plastics Solutions, on its website, calls itself a full-service recycler specializing in all types of plastic, X-ray film and non-ferrous metals.