Liquidator fined by EPA for selling surplus capacitor with PCBs

The Environmental Protection Agency is keeping an eye on eBay for sales of, among other things, antiquated electrical equipment. We would expect any surplus dealer specializing in electrical products to know how to handle these products properly, but one ...
Oct. 3, 2009

The Environmental Protection Agency is keeping an eye on eBay for sales of, among other things, antiquated electrical equipment. We would expect any surplus dealer specializing in electrical products to know how to handle these products properly, but one general-purpose liquidator recently learned the hard way.

A company called Railside LLC, a factory surplus liquidator, was fined under the Toxic Substances Control Act for trying to sell electrical equipment containing polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) on eBay without proper labeling or storage.

"PCB-containing electrical equipment must be marked so that it is easily recognizable and not disposed of improperly. EPA investigators found Railside offering to sell the unmarked General Electric Pyranol capacitor on eBay..."

Railside responded quickly, cooperated fully and was fined only $250, said the EPA.

EPA News Release

About the Author

Doug Chandler, Senior Staff Writer

Executive Editor

Doug Chandler began writing about the electrical industry in 1992, and still finds there's never a shortage of stories to be told. So he spends his days finding them and telling them. Educationally, he's a Jayhawk with an English degree. Outside of work, he can often be found banging drums or harvesting tomatoes.