Salt Lake City, UT – Andrew Costa, 45, was sentenced to 21 months in federal prison and ordered to pay over $70,000 in restitution after pleading guilty to illegally abandoning hazardous waste on a public roadway in 2006. The case, investigated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), highlights the dangers of improper hazardous waste disposal and the agency’s commitment to holding offenders accountable.
According to court documents, Costa owned two cargo trailers containing 67 drums filled with liquid and dry chemical substances. Between May 2005 and August 2006, Costa moved the trailers onto the shoulder of Wallace Road in Salt Lake City, leaving them open and unsecured. A Salt Lake City parking enforcement officer discovered the abandoned trailers in June 2006, noting a leak from one of the drums onto the street. The incident prompted a response from the Salt Lake Valley Health Department and a hazmat team from the Salt Lake City Fire Department.
Investigators traced the hazardous waste back to Costa, who later admitted to abandoning the trailers and acknowledged the contents qualified as hazardous waste under EPA standards. Crucially, Costa did not possess the required permits for the storage or disposal of such materials. The EPA subsequently spent over $70,392.51 removing and cleaning up the hazardous waste, a cost Costa was ordered to reimburse through restitution.
Legal Ramifications
Costa was initially charged with one count of violating the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) – specifically 42 U.S.C. 6928(d)(2)(A) – which prohibits the knowing treatment, storage, or disposal of hazardous waste without a permit. His guilty plea in August 2010 led to the agreed-upon sentence of 21 months imprisonment, a three-year probationary period following release, and the aforementioned restitution order. Prosecutors emphasized the severity of the crime and the need for deterrence, arguing that the sentence reflects the high cost of illegally dumping hazardous materials.
EPA’s Stance
Lori A. Hanson, Special Agent in Charge of the EPA’s Office of Criminal Enforcement in the Denver region, stressed the agency’s dedication to protecting public health and the environment. “Illegally disposed hazardous waste presents a danger to public health and a threat to the environment,” Hanson stated. “EPA will investigate those who refuse to follow the rules and will work tirelessly to see that they are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.” U.S. Attorney Carlie Christensen echoed this sentiment, stating the sentence served as a clear message to those handling hazardous materials: “paying the full price to properly dispose of hazardous waste is always cheaper than prison and paying for an environmental clean-up.”
Key Facts
- Defendant: Andrew Costa, 45
- Location: Salt Lake City, Utah
- Crime: Illegal disposal of hazardous waste
- Statute Violated: 42 U.S.C. 6928(d)(2)(A) – Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)
- Cleanup Cost: $70,392.51
- Sentence: 21 months incarceration, 36 months probation, $70,392.51 restitution
- Timeline: Abandonment occurred in 2006, charges filed in 2009, sentencing in 2010
The Costa case serves as a stark reminder of the legal and financial consequences associated with improper hazardous waste management, and the EPA’s continued vigilance in enforcing environmental regulations.
Source: EPA ECHO Enforcement Case Database
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- Anthony Stoddard, Hazardous Waste Fraud, UT 2019 · Utah
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