Despite the high demand and lucrative prices for recycled scrap metal, a business in Brooklyn, New York was recently fined eight five thousand dollars for illegal dumping of scrap metal into state waterways.

The recent case showed that the Benson Metal Corporation consistently dumped scrap metal from its operation into the Gowanus Canal on a regular basis for several years. A review by the New York State Office of the Attorney General uncovered over one hundred dates when scrap metal was illegally dumped into the canal.

The Gowanus Canal is one of the most highly polluted waterways in the country and is a designated Superfund site by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). As part of the settlement, Benson must change its loading procedures to those recommended by the EPA to prevent scrap metal from falling into the water during the transfer process from facility to hauling barge. Another business, Simsmetal East, which provides hauling services via the waterways to a New Jersey recycling plant, must also follow best-practice regulations in order to prevent future illegal dumping.

WasteCare Wants You to Remember: Illegal dumping is still illegal even if it’s considered accidental. Ignorance of the law or best-practices will not hold up when the state or federal government files charges against your business. It pays in more ways than one to say on the right side of the law!