Citizens for Healthy Growth

Safety-Kleen is located in northeast Denton on Cooper Creek Road between Highway 380 (University Drive) and Mingo Road.

Citizens for Healthy Growth protested the renewal Safety-Kleen’s Hazardous Waste Permit No. 50163 for the following reasons:

Ø The increased danger to the public, especially to people living within ½ mile of the facility, posed by the increased permitted storage capacity of toxic waste and hazardous chemicals (3 million gals. by 2011) is not addressed by the permit. If Safety-Kleen were seeking a new permit, rather than renewing an existing one, it would not be permitted to do what it is doing now because of the ½ mile proximity of residences, schools and churches.

Ø The increased dangers posed to the community by the transporting of hazardous wastes by rail car into SK are not addressed by the current permit.

Ø The current permit does not mandate that residents, churches and schools within ½ mile of the facility be informed of the off-site dangers associated with hazardous waste processing and storage.

The results of the agreement:

Ø CHG and the parties it represents dropped their opposition to the renewal of SK’s permit No. 50163.

Ø SK has agreed not to construct a rail spur and storage facility for the delivery of hazardous wastes for a period of not less than 2 years following the issuance of the permit renewal. Should SK decide to build the spur after the 2 year period it must do so with a process that provides affected persons with the opportunity to request a contested case hearing on the authorization to construct the rail facility. The delay in construction provides the time to further research the dangers of hazardous and toxic waste transport by rail.

Ø SK has revised and updated its on-site emergency response document, the Contingency Plan.

Ø SK has agreed to maintain a map of the area within ½ mile of the facility and a list of the landowners in that area. The map, along with Safety-Kleen’s Contingency Plan, will also be on a website maintained by Safety-Kleen. The landowners on the ½ mile radius list will receive information yearly regarding Safety-Kleen’s operations and actions that may be helpful in the event of an accident at the facility that affects people off-site.

Ø In summary, Safety-Kleen’s hazardous waste permit addresses only issues of on-site emergency preparedness and response. The agreement between Safety-Kleen and Citizens for Healthy Growth goes beyond the boundaries of the facility to inform residents, churches and schools, especially those within a ½ mile radius of the facility, of what the dangers are and how to be prepared for them in the event of a fire, chemical spill, or explosion with off-site impacts. Safety-Kleen’s information campaign and website, in conjunction with the city’s recently instituted CodeRED emergency telephone notification service, provide a level of off-site preparedness and information previously unavailable to the public.