FAA Proposes $84,000 Penalty Against Division of Monsanto Corp. for Hazmat Violations

The Federal Aviation Administration, Southern Region, has
proposed to assess an $84,000 civil penalty against Monsanto
Corporation’s Calgene Division of Davis, Calif., for allegedly
violating Department of Transportation hazardous materials
regulations.

FAA alleges that Calgene knowingly offered to United Parcel
Service a fiberboard box containing hazardous materials for
transportation by air. The box contained one 500-milliliter glass
container of ethyl acetate, one 500-milliliter glass container of
acetone, and one four-liter glass container of ethanol. All are
flammable liquids. The box also contained one 100-milliliter plastic
container of acetic acid, one one-gallon plastic container of
sodium hydroxide, and one one-gallon plastic container of
hydrochloric acid. All are corrosives. Ground handling employees
at the UPS sort facility at Louisville, Ky., discovered the
shipment leaking.

Calgene offered the hazardous materials for transportation when
they were not packaged, labeled, marked, classed, described,
documented, or in condition for shipment as required by
regulations. Calgene also failed to ensure employees were trained
to properly package and handle hazardous materials, and did not
make available at all times the required emergency response
information.

Calgene has 30 days from receipt of the FAA notice to submit a
reply to the agency. This announcement is made in accordance
with the FAA’s practice of releasing information to the public on
newly issued enforcement actions involving penalties of $50,000
or more.

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--This story is posted courtesy FAA

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