Richard David Reece, Violating RCRA, Indiana 2008

Muncie, IN – Richard David Reece was sentenced in May 2008 after pleading guilty to three federal counts of violating the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) stemming from the illegal storage and abandonment of hazardous electroplating waste in Delaware County, Indiana. The case, investigated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), revealed a pattern of reckless disregard for environmental regulations and public safety dating back to 1996.

Reece operated Synco Technology, Inc., a planned electroplating business in Farmland, Indiana. Despite never commencing operations, Reece amassed a substantial collection of electroplating chemicals and associated equipment. Instead of properly disposing of these materials, Reece embarked on a clandestine operation to relocate the hazardous waste, beginning around June 2002. He transported the drums and containers via trailers, initially to a vacant lot next to Hoosier Pete’s convenience store in Muncie. This dumping site was unauthorized and lacked any environmental safeguards.

The situation escalated in May 2003 when Reece moved the trailers – still containing the hazardous waste – to a parking lot within an industrial park, also in Muncie. Again, this was done without the knowledge or consent of the property owner. An investigation by the EPA and the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) determined that the abandoned chemicals exhibited characteristics of RCRA hazardous waste, including corrosivity, toxicity, and ignitability. The potential for soil and water contamination posed a significant threat to the surrounding environment and local community.

Federal prosecutors indicted Reece on March 20, 2007, on three counts: knowingly transporting hazardous waste without a manifest (42 U.S.C. 6928(d)(1)); knowingly treating, storing, or disposing of hazardous waste without authorization (42 U.S.C. 6928(d)(2)(A)); and knowingly transporting hazardous waste without a manifest (42 U.S.C. 6928(d)(5)). Reece subsequently entered a guilty plea to all three charges, acknowledging his responsibility for the illegal handling and abandonment of the dangerous materials.

The sentencing, handed down on May 7, 2008, saw Reece receive 12 months of probation. However, the court also mandated substantial restitution payments totaling $56,536. Of that amount, $43,574.88 was directed to the EPA Superfund, used for cleaning up hazardous waste sites, $12,473.59 went to IDEM to cover investigation and remediation costs, and $488.49 was allocated to Delaware County.

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Key Facts

Defendant: Richard David Reece
Business: Synco Technology, Inc.
Location: Farmland and Muncie, Indiana
Years of Activity: 1996 – 2003 (illegal dumping discovered 2003)
Statutes Violated: 42 U.S.C. 6928(d)(1), 42 U.S.C. 6928(d)(2)(A), 42 U.S.C. 6928(d)(5)
Penalty: 12 months probation and $56,536 in restitution
Type of Waste: Hazardous electroplating chemicals (corrosive, toxic, ignitable)

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Source: EPA ECHO Enforcement Case Database

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