May 6, 2004

On April 19, Garcha Transport Limited, of Milton, Ontario, pled guilty to violating the Michigan Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act, and the medical waste regulatory provisions of the Michigan Public Health Code by using a vehicle or container that did not conform to administrative rules promulgated by the Department of Environmental Quality to illegally transport improperly packaged medical waste into Michigan for disposal. The company, along with two of its drivers, appeared for arraignment in the 42nd District Court of Macomb County. District Judge Paul Cassidy ordered Garcha Transport to pay $1,000 in fines and costs and the two drivers were each sentenced to pay $600 fines and costs after pleading to one count.

The charges stem from July 2003 joint inspections by the DEQ Office of Criminal Investigations and customs agents from the United States Department of Homeland Security of solid waste transporting vehicles entering Michigan at the Port Huron international port of entry. Solid waste shipments were screened at the Blue Water Bridge customs facility and inspected in greater detail when the contents were unloaded at the landfill in Lenox, Michigan. The inspections revealed medical waste containing blood products which were not properly packaged according to Michigan regulations.

“These violations may have gone unnoticed without the efforts of the DEQ Office of Criminal Investigations and U.S. Customs,” said DEQ Director Steven E. Chester. “This partnership allows us to work closely in preventing prohibited waste materials from reaching Michigan landfills.”

Editor’s note: DEQ news releases are available on the department’s Internet home page at www.michigan.gov/deq.

Revised May 6, 2004 by Pat Watson