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U.S. Postal Service penalized $33K for hazmat deficiencies in Seattle

Washington state says mail center failed to safely manage and store dangerous waste

Eric Kulisch
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A U.S. Postal Service van makes deliveries in Seattle on June 15, 2019. The agency’s regional mail center was cited by the state for hazmat violations. (Photo: Shutterstock/Joni Hanebutt)
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Key Takeaways:

  • The U.S. Postal Service was fined $33,000 by Washington state for improper handling of hazardous waste at its Seattle Bulk Mail Center.
  • Violations included inadequate identification, storage, and labeling of dangerous waste materials, including insecticides, propane, paints, and cleaning products.
  • The Postal Service failed to meet safety standards for storing hazardous waste, leading to risks to human health and the environment.
  • The Postal Service has since corrected the violations but has 30 days to pay the fine or appeal.
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The Washington state Department of Ecology has fined the U.S. Postal Service $33,000 for improperly managing and storing dangerous waste at its Seattle Bulk Mail Center in Federal Way.

The violations were discovered during a 2024 inspection, the agency said in a news release on Tuesday.

At the Seattle Bulk Mail Center, leaking or damaged packages are set aside for disposal. If those damaged packages contain materials classified as dangerous waste, such as insecticides, propane, paints, or cleaning products, the facility is required to properly identify it, assess the  hazards, and then safely store and dispose of the materials.

The Department of Ecology also found violations in how the center was identifying and storing packages containing dangerous wastes, along with other hazardous wastes from the facilities operations and vehicle maintenance in 2018, 2019, 2022 and last year. 

The amount of dangerous waste fluctuated but was significant at times; in 2022, the Postal Service estimated it had 4.6 tons on site. While awaiting disposal, containers were often unlabeled and stored in crowded areas, increasing the risk of unintended chemical reactions that could pose a threat to human health and the environment, the state agency said. 

“We expect businesses that generate hazardous waste to take the regulations seriously,” said Christa Colouzis, Northwest Region manager for Ecology’s Hazardous Waste and Toxics Reduction program. “Knowing what wastes you have and how to safely store them is the first step to preventing problems. If dangerous waste isn’t properly managed, it can quickly become a safety issue for people and the environment.”

In 2024, the department found that the USPS failed to:

  • Determine whether waste is dangerous and the potential threat they posted; 
  • Safely store the waste (including maintaining adequate distance between aisles, using secondary containment, labeling containers and inspecting weekly); 
  • Properly manage universal waste such as batteries and fluorescent bulbs; 
  • Maintain personnel training records

The Postal Service has corrected the violations, according to the news release. It has 30 days to pay the penalty or appeal it to the Washington Pollution Hearings Board.

Click here for more FreightWaves/American Shipper stories by Eric Kulisch.

Write to Eric Kulisch at ekulisch@freightwaves.com.

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Eric Kulisch

Eric is the Parcel and Air Cargo Editor at FreightWaves. An award-winning business journalist with extensive experience covering the logistics sector, Eric spent nearly two years as the Washington, D.C., correspondent for Automotive News, where he focused on regulatory and policy issues surrounding autonomous vehicles, mobility, fuel economy and safety. He has won two regional Gold Medals and a Silver Medal from the American Society of Business Publication Editors for government and trade coverage, and news analysis. He was voted best for feature writing and commentary in the Trade/Newsletter category by the D.C. Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. He was runner up for News Journalist and Supply Chain Journalist of the Year in the Seahorse Freight Association's 2024 journalism award competition. In December 2022, Eric was voted runner up for Air Cargo Journalist. He won the group's Environmental Journalist of the Year award in 2014 and was the 2013 Supply Chain Journalist of the Year. As associate editor at American Shipper Magazine for more than a decade, he wrote about trade, freight transportation and supply chains. He has appeared on Marketplace, ABC News and National Public Radio to talk about logistics issues in the news. Eric is based in Vancouver, Washington. He can be reached for comments and tips at ekulisch@freightwaves.com Eric is the Parcel and Air Cargo Editor at FreightWaves. An award-winning business journalist with extensive experience covering the logistics sector, Eric spent nearly two years as the Washington, D.C., correspondent for Automotive News, where he focused on regulatory and policy issues surrounding autonomous vehicles, mobility, fuel economy and safety. He has won two regional Gold Medals and a Silver Medal from the American Society of Business Publication Editors for government and trade coverage, and news analysis. He was voted best for feature writing and commentary in the Trade/Newsletter category by the D.C. Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. He was runner up for News Journalist and Supply Chain Journalist of the Year in the Seahorse Freight Association's 2024 journalism award competition. In December 2022, Eric was voted runner up for Air Cargo Journalist. He won the group's Environmental Journalist of the Year award in 2014 and was the 2013 Supply Chain Journalist of the Year. As associate editor at American Shipper Magazine for more than a decade, he wrote about trade, freight transportation and supply chains. He has appeared on Marketplace, ABC News and National Public Radio to talk about logistics issues in the news. Eric is based in Vancouver, Washington. He can be reached for comments and tips at ekulisch@freightwaves.com Eric is based in Vancouver, Washington. He can be reached for comments and tips at ekulisch@freightwaves.com