Liberty Metal Recycling discharged oil and petroleum products into streets and storm drains
MINEOLA, N.Y. – Acting Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas announced today that an Island Park recycling company pleaded guilty to for having discharged oil into the soil of the property’s back lot and for discharging oil and petroleum products into the street and storm drains by use of a pump.
The company pleaded guilty before District Court Judge Joseph Girardi to one misdemeanor count of Pollution of Waters in Contravention of Standards. The NCDA and the Department of Environmental Conservation recommended a fine of $3,000, which was imposed by the court along with a 6% surcharge of $180. The site was required to be remediated, which has occurred, and the business is now defunct.
“Our waterways are a treasure that we must preserve for future generations and any group that pollutes them must be brought to justice,” Acting DA Singas said. “We work very closely with our partners in law enforcement and local environmental groups and encourage anyone with information about illegal dumping or disposal to contact our office. I thank the DEC for their quick response and partnering with us on this case.”
Liberty Metal Recycling, located at 4276 Industrial Place, Island Park, NY, was the subject of a complaint and New York State DEC officers responded to the property on March 10.
The officers observed large puddles of water mixed with petroleum products on the property that were draining into the road and a storm drain. Employees were instructed to take action to prevent the waste oil from draining off of the property. Officers followed up the next morning with a DEC Spill Response team and they observed several workers using a sump pump to pump out the puddles and other drains filled with petroleum/water mixture out into the street. The petroleum/water mixture was flowing into a storm drain and workers shut off the pumps when they saw the DEC team, who then conducted a thorough site inspection. The discharged oil and petroleum did not pose an immediate threat to anyone.
The NCDA Environmental Crimes 24-hour tip-line is 516-571-7755, option 9.
Assistant District Attorney Brian Heid, Chief of Acting District Attorney Madeline Singas’ Environmental Crimes Unit, is prosecuting the case. Liberty Metal Recycling is represented by Vincent Bianco, Esq.