Viant: $170,000 EPA Fine Over Hazardous-Waste Lapses

A federal enforcement action concluded on September 22, 2025 ordering Viant (specifically in the Collegeville location), a large-quantity hazardous waste generator in Pennsylvania, to pay $170,000 after EPA inspectors documented systemic lapses across storage, training, inspections, and emergency planning– the very guardrails RCRA uses to keep toxic solvents like trichloroethylene (TCE) and flammable wastes out of soil, air, and water.

When an evil corporation skips these basics, the cradle-to-grave system breaks, increasing the risk of undetected leaks, mishandled wastes, and lost chain-of-custody.

A Pattern of Negligence

• Aug. 15–16, 2023 Inspection: EPA conducted a Compliance Evaluation Inspection at Viant’s Collegeville facility (RCRA ID PAD002344463), a custom metal-tubing manufacturer using solvents including Oxsol and TCE.
• No Permit Protections: Viant operated a hazardous-waste storage facility without a permit or valid generator exemption, triggering the most basic red flag in hazardous-waste control.
• Containers Without Dates or Labels: Multiple 55-gallon drums and other containers lacked “Hazardous Waste” labels and accumulation start dates across several areas (e.g., Oxsol Flusher Area, Degreaser Area, ID/OD Coating), undermining required tracking.
• Daily Tank Checks Skipped: Viant failed to conduct and document daily inspections of a 2,000-gallon hazardous-waste tank, with records showing weekly or monthly checks instead.
• Cracked Secondary Containment: Inspectors found a 3-foot crack in the solvent-tank containment pad—exactly where robust barriers matter most.
• No Subpart BB Determination: Viant did not determine whether equipment in TCE still systems met the ≥10% organics threshold—meaning valves that should be monitored were not.
• Training Gaps: 19 employees lacked required initial and/or annual RCRA training in 2021–2022; job descriptions failed to document hazardous-waste duties.
• Contingency Plan Holes: The emergency plan lacked named emergency coordinators and evacuation route maps within the plan itself.
• Manifest Breakdowns: The evil corporation lacked signed copies for multiple shipments (March–July 2023) and filed no exception reports, later retrieving paperwork from an offsite source.
• Universal Waste Overstay & No Dating: A 5-gallon battery container sat >1 year; a 5-gallon lamp container had no accumulation date—both violations of streamlined “universal waste” rules.
• Process Note: EPA notified the state on Dec. 20, 2023; sent a Show-Cause letter Sept. 11, 2024; and finalized a Consent Agreement and Final Order Sept. 22, 2025. Viant neither admits nor denies the factual allegations but consents to the penalty and certifies it is now in compliance.

The Macro Consequences

The Economic Fallout

When a large-quantity generator skips permits, labels, dates, training, and daily tank inspections, the cost of failure shifts to the public: emergency responses become harder, investigations longer, and remediation– if needed– more expensive. Broken manifests also delay billing accountability between shippers and disposal facilities, complicating cost recovery.

The Public Health Crisis (Avoided or Invited?)

RCRA’s regulations exist to prevent releases of hazardous constituents. A cracked containment pad under solvent tanks and skipped daily inspections increase the possibility of undetected leaks of volatile organics (like TCE) and flammable wastes, with consequences that can extend beyond the fence line if releases occur.

The Environmental Toll

Missing start dates and labels cloud where, when, and how much hazardous waste is present—critical data for preventing spills and over-accumulation. No Subpart BB determination for high-organics equipment means emissions-control obligations may be missed, leaving potential volatile losses unmonitored.

The Erosion of Trust

RCRA is a cradle-to-grave promise. Unsigned manifests without exception reports break that chain, eroding confidence in both the generator and oversight systems that rely on timely, verified documentation to protect communities.

The Bottom Line: Accountability & the System

The EPA imposed a $170,000 civil penalty after weighing statutory factors under RCRA and EPA penalty policy.

Viant accepted the order, waived appeal, and must pay within 30 days of the effective date, with interest and late-payment consequences if it does not. But the deeper story isn’t the fine… it’s actually that a modern manufacturing facility ran afoul of the most basic RCRA controls: permits/exemptions, dating/labeling, daily tank checks, contingency planning, training, and manifest closure.

These are the first lines of defense against contamination!

Want to know what real accountability looks like? Documented, durable fixes, routine audits, fully trained staff, airtight emergency plans, and evidence-backed compliance… not just paying a financial penalty and moving on.

Please visit this link to see the above EPA document: https://yosemite.epa.gov/OA/RHC/EPAAdmin.nsf/Filings/9E61E58C356382A685258D0D006EA80B/$File/Viant%20Collegeville%20LLC_RCRA%20CAFO_Sept%2022%202025_Redacted.pdf