California’s Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) has fined recycler Freon Free $145,760 for mishandling and incinerating hazardous waste without a permit.
DTSC inspectors found Freon Free was burning hazardous waste without a permit, increasing the risk of an onsite fire or explosion. DTSC also learned that for years, Freon Free was improperly treating two to three ammonia-containing refrigerators per week by bolt-cutting refrigerant lines and releasing their contents into a container with water. This manner of treating ammonia without a permit violates legal requirements and could result in serious injury, according to DTSC.
