STATE NEWS: Andover Man Pleads Guilty To Mishandling Chemicals

WICHITA, KAN. - The owner of a plastics recycling company in El Dorado pleaded guilty Monday to mishandling waste chemicals and agreed to pay more than $118,000 in restitution to the Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom.

Brian J. Riley, 41, Andover, Kan., owner of Integrated Plastic Solutions, LLC., pleaded guilty to one count of negligent exposure to a hazardous air pollutant.

In his plea, he admitted the company stored hazardous wastes at its facility in the form of paints, solvents and other chemicals.

The paints and solvents contained ethyl benzene, which is classified as a hazardous air pollutant.

After becoming aware that the Kansas Department of Health and Environment was investigating the company’s waste handling practices, Riley allowed some paints and solvents to be dumped on the IPS grounds, releasing ethyl benzene and exposing employees to the risk of flash fire and explosion.
Sentencing is set for March 30.

He faces a maximum penalty of a year in federal prison and a fine up to $100,000.

Grissom commended the Environmental Protection Agency and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Metzger for their work on the case.