WASHINGTON — The Washington Department of Ecology has issued penalties to HF Sinclair and Tesoro for improperly storing dangerous waste at their Anacortes refineries, posing serious environmental risks.
HF Sinclair was fined $1,303,000, while Tesoro received a penalty of $1,397,000 for violating dangerous waste laws.
These penalties come after nearly a year of notifications from the Department of Ecology regarding unsafe waste storage practices.
“HF Sinclair and Tesoro have the expertise, the resources, and the responsibility to safely manage hazardous materials, but they failed to do so in these instances,” said Tom Buroker, director of Ecology’s Northwest Region.
Dangerous waste is defined as material that is ignitable, corrosive, reactive, and/or toxic, and it can harm human health and the environment if not properly managed.
Both refineries generate wastewater from their refining processes, which is treated at their on-site wastewater treatment facilities.
In September 2023, HF Sinclair experienced an overflow of oily process wastewater into a spill containment area, which was not designed for dangerous waste storage.
Sludge classified as dangerous waste settled in the area and remained for 11 months before being removed. The delay increased the risk of environmental contamination.
Tesoro’s penalty relates to the management of a neutralization pond containing spent sulfuric acid, with acidity levels comparable to battery acid.
Inspectors flagged the issue in 2022, and it took Tesoro nine months to implement a safer management method, increasing the risk of a toxic release.
Ecology continues to investigate the environmental impacts of the mishandling of dangerous wastes, while HF Sinclair and Tesoro have 30 days to pay the penalties or appeal to the state Pollution Control Hearings Board.