The State Obtains A Judgment Against Richard Salvino of Sparta For Environmental Violations

MADISON — The State of Wisconsin, by the Wisconsin Department of Justice, has obtained a judgment against Richard P. Salvino of Sparta, Wisconsin, who has done business as R&S Recycling, R&S Metal Recycling, Clean-up and Hauling, and/or R+S Clean-up & Hauling, for a series of civil environmental violations. According to the complaint, filed at the request of the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), in Monroe County, Salvino burned waste, in order to more readily recover salvageable metal, that he had picked up from other businesses, despite repeated warnings from the DNR not to do so. During a DNR inspection, they found ash in a burner to be a hazardous waste because it exceeded Wis. Admin. Code's toxicity limits for arsenic and chromium. The DNR also found that Salvino had been improperly transporting and processing PCB-containing materials and refrigerant coolants.

The complaint alleges and Salvino was found guilty of transportation of solid waste without a license, open burning of solid waste without a license, operating a solid waste facility by burning and storing waste without a license, failing to obtain a permit for a wood burner used to illegally burn waste, transporting PCB-containing waste (light ballasts) without a permit, salvaging light ballasts containing PCBs without registering his facility with the DNR, failing to determine if generated solid waste (burn ash) was a hazardous waste, failing to obtain a stormwater permit for his facility, and operation of a hazardous waste facility without a license.

"The State will encourage and support properly licensed and environmentally protective salvage and recycling facilities. Mismanagement such as by open burning causes environmental releases to the air and potentially the waters of the state, which can have health impacts to us all and which places legitimately operated facilities at a competitive disadvantage" said Attorney General Van Hollen.

On December 14, 2010, Monroe County Circuit Court Judge J. David Rice imposed forfeitures and costs totaling $48,823.00 for these violations. Assistant Attorney General Steven Tinker represented the State in this case. The Investigating Warden for the DNR was Warden Matthew Modjeski.