FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                         CIV
MONDAY, APRIL 21, 1997                             (202) 616-2765
                                               TDD (202) 514-1888

                                                                 

             SUPERFUND CONTRACTOR AGREES TO PAY U.S.
                $92,685 TO SETTLE CIVIL CLAIMS  

     WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Chemical Waste Management Inc. 
(ChemWaste) will pay the United States $92,685 to settle
potential claims for civil damages for failing to monitor air
quality to protect workers at a Superfund site at the Moyer
Landfill in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, the Department of
Justice announced today. 
 
     Assistant Attorney General Frank W. Hunger, in charge of the
Civil Division, said that from late 1990 to early 1992 ChemWaste,
while doing remedial work at the site, failed to monitor air
quality to protect ChemWaste workers as its safety plan under a
contract with the Army Corps of Engineers required. 

     Although ChemWaste did not consistently and adequately
monitor the air quality as required by the contract, there was no
evidence that the quality of the air would have required the
workers to wear additional protective gear, the Department said.

     In 1993, the company, which was registered as a Delaware
corporation, reported its conduct to the Department of Defense
Inspector General under the Pentagon's Voluntary Disclosure
Program.  Shortly after disclosing its conduct, ChemWaste paid
$46,689 to the Army Corps of Engineers in a contract price
adjustment for its failure to monitor the air quality pursuant to
the contract.

     The settlement announced today resolves ChemWaste's 
potential liability to the government under several legal
theories and statutes, including the False Claims Act and the
Contract Disputes Act.

     Pursuant to the settlement agreement, ChemWaste has agreed
to pay the $92,685 within 10 days, which is in addition to the
money it previously paid the government.

     The matter was investigated by the Defense Criminal
Investigative Service and the Office of Inspector General of the
Environmental Protection Agency.  
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