Summary

On September 22, 2014, in U.S. District Court, Los Angeles, California, Barry Bancroft, owner of Slate Industrial Services (SIS), was sentenced for failure to maintain commercial motor vehicle driver training records. On the same date, SIS was sentenced for transportation of hazardous waste without a manifest. Bancroft was ordered to pay $15,000 in restitution and SIS was ordered to pay $10,000 in restitution. Both received 30 months of unsupervised probation. 

Our investigation was initiated after an explosive reaction between incompatible hazardous waste materials occurred at a Los Angeles Home Depot retail store. The investigation determined that the commercial driver was not trained to carry hazardous materials. However, under the direction of SIS, various waste streams were consolidated into a single drum. 

We conducted the investigation with the FBI, California Department of Toxic Substance Control, Los Angeles County Fire Department-Health Hazmat and the Environmental Protection Agency.