Amazon faces fine for violating hazardous materials regs

Amazon and two other companies face fines ranging from $63,000 to $91,000 from the Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for allegedly mishandling hazardous materials that were shipped by air. 

{mosads}Amazon, headquartered in Seattle, could be hit with a $91,000 civil penalty for an 8-ounce bottle of G.E. Caulk smoother that leaked in its box while en route to Pueblo, Colo., via UPS on July 31, 2013, according to a news release. The FAA said 4 ounces of the flammable alcohol leaked through the container. 

Harrison Contracting, of Villa Rica, Ga., faces a $73,500 fine for a gallon can of paint that leaked while being shipped via FedEx to Sunrise, Fla., on Feb 6. And Red Dot Corp., an Athens, Texas-based steel building designer and manufacturer, faces a $63,000 fine after two 16-ounce cans of flammable aerosol primer leaked while en route to Bruce, S.D., via UPS on March 6. 

In each case, the FAA said the companies failed to follow hazardous materials shipping regulations. The shipments were not marked, labeled or packaged correctly and did not have shipping papers indicating the hazardous nature of the contents being shipped. 

Amazon and Harrison Contracting have 30 days to respond to the agency’s accusations. Red Dot has requested to meet with the FAA to discuss its case.