A Hillsboro company has agreed to pay $17,000 to settle federal charges that it illegally shipped hazardous waste to Hong Kong.

Federal authorities say that the waste handling company, Jones International, sent 129 lead batteries to Hong Kong in unlabeled shipping containers.

They say shipping documents said the containers held “mixed metal scrap.” When Hong Kong officials discovered what they consider “hazardous waste,” they sent the containers back to Portland.

Shortly after the shipment returned to Portland, the Environmental Protection Agency went after Jones International.

All of this happened two years ago.

Xiangyu Chu is a compliance officer for the EPA in Seattle. She says settlement talks with Jones International just ended.

Chu Xiangyu: “We went forward with a civil enforcement case. We reached a settlement with Jones only a few weeks ago of $17,000.”

Chu says lead batteries are mostly recyclable, but that companies are expected to take specific steps, to reuse and ship the materials.

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