Gordon Laird, Toxic Substance Violation, WA 1998

Anacortes, WA – Gordon Laird, former controlling partner of Anacortes Joint Ventures (AJV), was sentenced to six months incarceration in July 1997 following a protracted investigation into the illegal handling and disappearance of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). The case, stemming from the 1992 fire at the Custom Plywood facility in Anacortes, Washington, revealed a deliberate attempt to conceal the improper disposal of hazardous materials.

The investigation began to unravel after the Custom Plywood facility burned, leaving eleven PCB-filled transformers stored in a nearby warehouse. Laird had previously obtained a quote for the transformers’ disposal, which explicitly noted one transformer weighed over 18,000 pounds and contained pure PCB oil – a highly toxic substance. By 1995, all eleven transformers had vanished, with Laird and associates initially claiming they were stolen. This claim quickly came under scrutiny by federal investigators.

The case took a turn when scrap metal dealer Roger Fredrick admitted in 1997 to salvaging seven of the missing transformers. Fredrick further confessed to recovering approximately 14 drums of PCB oil from the salvaged units. A subsequent search warrant yielded four drums of highly concentrated PCB oil. Laird’s involvement deepened when, in April 1997, his counsel alerted authorities to anonymous communications regarding the remaining drums. Laird was directed to leave a truck for retrieval, and another anonymous call guided him to its location. Authorities impounded the truck, discovering an additional ten drums of concentrated PCB oil.

The investigation revealed Laird knowingly failed to comply with regulations governing the handling and disposal of hazardous waste. He was originally charged on April 17, 1997, with one count of violating the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), specifically 15 U.S.C. 2614, for failure to comply with the statute. Laird ultimately pled guilty to the charge. In addition to the six-month prison sentence, Laird was sentenced to 24 months of probation and ordered to pay a $3,000 federal fine.

Fredrick, also charged with violating TSCA (15 U.S.C. 2614) on September 29, 1997, pled guilty to two counts and received a sentence of 24 months probation and 60 hours of community service, but was not fined. The coordinated investigation highlights the potential for environmental crimes to follow industrial accidents, and the lengths to which individuals may go to avoid responsibility for hazardous waste disposal.

Table of Contents

Key Facts

Defendant: Gordon Laird
Location: Anacortes, Washington
Year: 1998 (Sentencing completed)
Crime: Illegal handling and disposal of PCB-filled transformers and oil.
Statutes Violated: 18 U.S.C. 1001, 15 U.S.C. 2614 (TSCA)
Penalties: Laird – 6 months incarceration, 24 months probation, $3,000 fine. Fredrick – 24 months probation, 60 hours community service.
Key Evidence: Recovery of 14 drums of highly concentrated PCB oil.
Incident Origin: Fire at Custom Plywood facility in 1992.

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Source: EPA ECHO Enforcement Case Database

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