City Of Lakeland issued the following announcement on Nov. 22.
#EmployeeSpotlight
We would like to recognize the excellence of three City employees who took extra care in identifying and investigating a recent discharge and illegal disposal of a very large amount of paint waste. Solid Waste Driver Paul Charbonneau recently arrived at a facility to remove roll off dumpsters. Immediately, he noticed that one of the dumpsters was leaking a bright red liquid.
Being knowledgeable in the regulations and restrictions of hauling this type of material. Paul was diligent in following proper procedures. He advised staff at the facility that he would not remove it and reported it to his supervisor Gordon Harper then notified Code Enforcement Officer Angela Kaiser. They met on site and meticulously worked together to investigate further. Through their thorough and careful attention to detail, they soon realized that the facility attempted to improperly dispose of approximately 1000 gallons of paint waste, 500 of which were illegally discharged into a nearby wetland. At that point, Lakes and Stormwater Staff were also notified to assist in the investigation and perform an environmental impact assessment.
Ultimately, All proper information was gathered and documented to provide a detailed report to the appropriate authorities for a state level investigation and necessary enforcement. Considering that the facility has several thousand more gallons of paint waste stored on site, the continued investigation will most assuredly provide immense valuable protection to the environment and natural resources in our area. In turn, it will also provide protection to all the citizens of Lakeland.
This team of City employees across three divisions Commitment to Excellence Paul, Gordon, Angela reflects greatly in their efforts to work together in helping Lakeland achieve an exceptional quality of life! Thank you, Paul, Gordon, and Angela, for all your hard work and dedication in keeping a watchful eye on protecting our community!
Original source can be found here.
Source: City Of Lakeland
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