Statement from The Jackson Laboratory in response to EPA news release

Date: October 2, 2008

We are concerned that the EPA would issue a news release with a list of allegations stemming from an inspection that occurred two years ago. The Jackson Laboratory operates at the highest safety standards, including its handling of the small amounts of hazardous materials and waste present on our campus.

This inspection was the first that the EPA had ever conducted at The Jackson Laboratory. It took place 22 years after the Laboratory, in accordance with the law, had declared its use of hazardous materials.

These allegations are primarily for minor paperwork lapses, most of which were addressed immediately after the inspection. None of the allegations represents any threat to the environment or safety of our campus or town.

With respect to the alleged improper storage of potentially explosive chemicals: These were five pint-sized containers that were not proved to be dangerous; nevertheless, they were safely removed immediately after the inspection.

The Jackson Laboratory has a highly qualified staff of eight full-time environmental health and safety professionals and technicians. Any technicalities relating to staff certification for hazardous waste training have long since been addressed.

The Laboratory has extremely close collaborations with local and state fire and emergency response officials. What the institution is being accused of is failing to formally notify these officials that we have rock salt, fuel oil and other everyday materials on our campus. We have corrected our reporting procedures to meet this requirement.

We look forward to meeting with EPA representatives to affirm the Laboratory's long-standing commitment to environmental health and safety.

Contact(s): Joyce Peterson, 207-288-6058

For information on automatic email delivery of news releases (journalists only), please send an email request for details to news@jax.org.

Media Relations, Communications Office
The Jackson Laboratory
600 Main Street
Bar Harbor, Maine 04609-1500
Phone: 207-288-6051
Fax: 207-288-6076
Email: news@jax.org