Attorney General Kelly A. Ayotte and Department of Environmental Services Commissioner Thomas S. Burack today announced that a New Hampshire court has approved a settlement requiring Thermal Dynamics Corporation (“TDC”) to pay a civil penalty for violations of hazardous waste laws alleged by the State.

TDC, headquartered in Chesterfield, Missouri, manufactures plasma-cutting equipment at a facility located in West Lebanon, New Hampshire. Some of the waste generated during manufacturing must be handled and disposed of as hazardous waste under New Hampshire law. The State’s lawsuit alleges that TDC failed to determine whether wastes generated at the facility were hazardous and failed to deliver hazardous waste to an authorized facility, among other things.

The court-approved consent decree requires TDC to pay a total civil penalty of $281,500. The State's Hazardous Waste Cleanup Fund will receive $157,445 of that amount. The remaining $124,055 must be spent on pollution control equipment at the West Lebanon manufacturing facility over the next nine (9) months.

Attorney General Ayotte said: “This settlement reflects the State's efforts to ensure that companies operating in New Hampshire comply with hazardous waste laws that protect public health and the environment, while also encouraging waste reduction projects.”

Commissioner Burack added: "The Department is pleased that TDC took full responsibility for addressing these violations and quickly came into compliance following an inspection. I encourage all companies to learn from this case and to properly identify and dispose of their hazardous wastes."

The State’s lawsuit   and consent decree  

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