EPA Reaches Settlement with Union Pacific Railroad Over Improper Disposal of Contaminated Waste in Oakland
OAKLAND, Calif. (June 18, 2026) – U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing a settlement with Union Pacific Railroad Company for violations of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) involving the improper disposal of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) waste from a cleanup at its Oakland, California property. Under the settlement, Union Pacific Railroad Company certified that they are now in compliance with TSCA regulations and agreed to pay a penalty of $155,234.
“EPA is committed to enforcing compliance with environmental laws to protect communities and the environment from hazardous substances,” said EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator Michael Martucci. “Companies that generate PCB-containing waste have a responsibility to properly manage it so toxic substances aren’t released into the environment.”
EPA found that, after the Railroad removed PCB-contaminated soil from its Oakland property under the supervision of the California Department of Toxic Substances Control, the Railroad then:
- Improperly disposed of 334 tons of PCB cleanup waste in 2022 at a landfill not authorized to accept this waste;
- Failed to properly document the PCB-contaminated waste and notify the receiving landfill of the waste’s content; and
- Failed to properly document the disposal of an additional 205 tons of the PCB-contaminated waste at an approved facility.
PCBs are man-made organic chemicals that were manufactured in the United States from 1929 until 1979, when their manufacture was banned due to their toxicity to human health and the environment. PCBs persist in the environment, bioaccumulate in plants and animals, and can enter the human body through the food chain.
Under the federal TSCA law, PCB-containing waste must be properly identified and documented before disposal at facilities equipped to receive the waste. This protects communities and avoids the risk of contaminating the environment. Approved landfills have the engineering controls and operating practices needed to prevent PCB migration to soil, groundwater, and air.
Background
Union Pacific’s 73rd Ave property in Oakland has undergone multiple phases of environmental investigation and cleanup since 1998. This enforcement action focuses on the most recent phase of remediation activity that began in 2018 and its subsequent waste management.
More information:
Learn more about TSCA and PCBs.
Learn more about EPA’s enforcement program and how to report possible violations of environmental laws and regulations to the EPA.
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