By BRENT MARTIN
St. Joseph Post
A St. Joseph pesticide manufacturer is in the crosshairs of federal authorities, who accuse the company of failing to comply with a 2011 settlement over alleged violations of state and federal environmental laws.
The U.S. Department of Justice, leading the prosecution, has filed a motion in federal court to hold HPI Products, its owner Willam Garvey, and St. Joseph Properties in contempt for failing to comply with the settlement.
“For years, HPI Products Inc. has failed to comply with its legal requirements to safely store and dispose of hazardous waste,” Acting EPA Region 7 Administrator Edward H. Chu said in a written statement released by the EPA. “Members of the community have expressed concerns in the past, and this motion is aimed in part at addressing those concerns. Although HPI has partially complied with cleanup requirements, the effort has fallen far short of what is needed and required, and we are hopeful the court will grant the governments’ request to finally get the job finished.”
HPI operates six pesticide manufacturing, storage, and distribution facilities in St. Joseph.
Federal and state authorities claimed in court filings that the defendants stored thousands of hazardous and non-hazardous wastes at its facilities since at least 2007. EPA and state inspectors found rusted and leaking containers. Some buildings had partially collapsed or were in danger of collapsing.
HPI entered into a consent decree which required the company to take an inventory, then properly clean up and dispose of waste. A federal court granted a contempt decree against HPI in 2018, but HPI established an escrow account and regulators gave the company more time to clean up.
The DOJ claims that though the company made attempts to comply with the 2018 order, it has fallen behind schedule and potential threats to human health remain. Regulators have asked the court to reinstate the 2018 court order.