Patheon Puerto Rico, a subsidiary of the multi-billion dollar giant Thermo Fisher Scientific, recently settled with federal regulators over a series of dangerous hazardous waste violations at its Manatí facility.
An EPA inspection revealed that they systematically failed to identify toxic materials, left hazardous waste in open containers under leaky roofs, and allowed oil spills to remain uncleaned. Despite these systemic threats to public health and worker safety, the company was ordered to pay a mere $16,250. A joke sum that amounts to a rounding error for a corporation with tens of billions in annual revenue. This case highlights a disturbing pattern where environmental safety is treated as an optional expense rather than a moral mandate.
Please continue reading to uncover how these violations reflect a deeper systemic failure that prioritizes corporate profit over the safety of Puerto Rican communities.
The Reality of Hazardous Waste in Manatí
In the coastal town of Manatí, a massive pharmaceutical facility operated with a level of negligence that borders on the absurd. While the evil company’s marketing materials boast of innovation and safety, federal inspectors found a much grimmer reality.
Hazardous waste was scattered across the property like common trash. Toxic chemicals sat in open containers, exposed to the elements. In some areas, rainwater dripped through a leaky roof directly onto containers of hazardous materials, creating a constant risk of chemical reactions, fires, or spills.
These right here are the building blocks of a public health disaster. When a neglectful corporation fails to label its waste or determine if its scrap metal and spent batteries are toxic, it puts every worker and local resident at risk. If a fire were to break out, emergency responders would be walking into a “black box” of unknown chemicals because the company also failed to maintain an up-to-date emergency plan.
A Timeline of Failure
The following timeline illustrates the gap between the initial discovery of these dangers and the final legal resolution. This delay allowed the company to continue its operations while the community remained at risk.
| Date | Event | Significance |
| February 1, 2024 | Federal Compliance Inspection | Regulators discover open waste containers, unlabeled toxins, and uncleaned oil spills. |
| February – Nov 2024 | Internal Deliberation | The company continues operations while the threat of mismanagement remains active. |
| November 4, 2025 | Company Agreement | Patheon’s General Manager signs the settlement, agreeing to the minor fine. |
| December 18, 2025 | Final Order Issued | The federal government ratifies the agreement, officially closing the case with a $16,250 penalty. |
The $16,000 “Cost of Doing Business”
Under our current economic system, fines like these are a strategic choice for corporations. When a parent company earns over $40 billion a year, a $16,250 fine is cheaper than the cost of hiring the staff necessary to ensure every container is closed and every spill is cleaned. This is right here be the logic of neoliberal capitalism: maximize shareholder value by cutting corners on safety, knowing that the “punishment” will never actually hurt the bottom line.
The federal government’s use of “expedited settlements” allows companies to resolve these issues without ever admitting they did anything wrong. This process preserves the corporate brand while doing very little to deter future misconduct. It is a system designed to protect the entity, not the environment that we all live in.
Environmental & Public Health Risks
The violations at the Manatí facility create a direct threat to the local ecosystem and the people who live nearby.
- Contamination Risks: Unlabeled hazardous waste and uncleaned oil spills can seep into the soil and groundwater.
- Fire Hazards: Failing to maintain “aisle space” between waste containers makes it impossible for fire crews to respond effectively to an emergency.
- Chemical Reactions: Rainwater leaking onto hazardous waste containers can cause unpredictable and dangerous chemical releases.
- Information Blackouts: By failing to provide emergency responders with a “Quick Reference Guide” to their toxic inventory, the company effectively blindfolds the very people tasked with saving lives during a crisis.
This Is the System Working as Intended
This case is a textbook example of how late-stage capitalism operates in unincorporated territories like Puerto Rico. Corporations are lured to the island with massive tax breaks and promises of economic growth, but they often leave behind a trail of environmental degradation. The legal system treats these violations as minor administrative hurdles rather than serious threats to human life.
By allowing a multi-billion dollar entity to settle for the price of a used car, the EPA basically sends a clear message: corporate profits are more valuable than the health and safety of the Puerto Rican people. This is the law working exactly as it was designed… to facilitate the extraction of wealth while socializing the risks.
This legal action is a serious and necessary attempt to hold a powerful actor accountable, yet it is ultimately insufficient. The evidence of misconduct is documented and undeniable, from the physical state of the facility to the missing safety documents.
Also, Thermo Fisher rejected me when I interviewed for a job for them some years ago which may or may not have contributed to me wanting to publish this article hahahaha
💡 Explore Corporate Misconduct by Category
Corporations harm people every day — from wage theft to pollution. Learn more by exploring key areas of injustice.
- 💀 Product Safety Violations — When companies risk lives for profit.
- 🌿 Environmental Violations — Pollution, ecological collapse, and unchecked greed.
- 💼 Labor Exploitation — Wage theft, worker abuse, and unsafe conditions.
- 🛡️ Data Breaches & Privacy Abuses — Misuse and mishandling of personal information.
- 💵 Financial Fraud & Corruption — Lies, scams, and executive impunity.
