Thread by @ashleygjovik

🧵In 2020, I nearly died from mysterious industrial chemical exposure at my home. Later I discovered my employer was dumping toxic waste into our windows from their Skunkworks semiconductor fab next-door. I tipped off EPA, who raided them in 2023. EPA just sent me the report 💀⬇️

US EPA Enforcement & Compliance conducted 3 onsite inspections of Apple's fab facility in 8/2023 + 1/2024. US EPA noted at least *19* potential violations of the RCRA hazardous waste statute.

I just posted US EPA's report for public access. Dropbox link: dropbox.com/scl/fo/312oqvr…

After discovering what Apple did, I then spent three months requesting records & digging through regulatory filings to learn more - which led me to file a complaint to US EPA in June 2023. I met with their investigators & sent them everything I discovered.

https://x.com/ashleygjovik/status/1648462109452427269

I told US EPA I didn't want my whistleblowing about the fab to be anonymous, and instead, that if EPA shows up onsite to inspect the plant, when they do, please have the EPA cops tell Apple: "Ashley says hi." 💀

It looks like EPA did what I asked. 🔥

The inspection was supposed to be unannounced so EPA surprises the inspected party who has no chance to cover up issues before EPA gets inside. However city HazMat tipped off Apple & EPA was greeted by Apple's EH&S team. Note: what EPA found was AFTER Apple had time to clean up.

TLDR; EPA discovered that Apple was:
- illegally treating hazardous waste
- illegally transporting hazardous waste
- illegally dumping hazardous waste into the ambient air outside the facility (into the apartment windows)
- leaving stockpiles of chemicals unattended on weekends

Illegal treatment: Apple set up a 1700 gallon aboveground chemical storage tank to treat their ignitable solvent waste. The chemicals are clearly haz waste. The tank was even marked haz waste. But Apple had no permits for it because they unilaterally declared it wasn't haz waste.

But Apple's potential felonies did not stop there! Apple also decided to transport the illegally treated haz waste (which Apple claimed was never haz waste) to a disposal facility still claiming it wasn't haz waste (even though it was). In 2021 the same waste stream included NMP.

This same solvent waste storage tank full of env crimes also featured illegal emissions too! The solvent VOC air emissions from the tank & all of the facility's solvent exhaust was collected in a mainline & dumped into the air on the roof, without a permit, & probably unabated.

Because Apple wasn't monitoring its solvent emissions, & had no permit, its unclear just how much toxic waste Apple dumped into our bedrooms. Also, it gets worse. Between 2020-23, Apple did monitor the air for vapors with an ad hoc, handheld, calibrated gas detector...ONE TIME.

We previously discussed how Apple didn't change its carbon filters for ~5yrs per their manifests; so they were prob useless. EPA also noticed that when Apple started changing filters in 12/2020, Apple claimed solvent drenched charcoal wasn't haz waste, & illegally disposed of it.

We're not done, you guys. There's more! However, if you feel like you just got a strong whiff of Apple's poison gas & you need a moment to catch your breath; I'll just leave this right here as a reminder of how important it is that we protect each other.

https://x.com/ashleygjovik/status/1764528114586022059

Next, EPA discovered that Apple had many smaller nonpermitted tanks of haz waste scattered around the plant; including "highly flammable" & corrosive chemicals. Apple unilaterally declared it wasn't hazardous waste because Apple 1) never analyzed it & 2) did pour water into it.

The US EPA inspector noticed Apple had a 55-gallon container of corrosive liquid chemicals sitting in Apple's "Chemical Bunker," & the container's cap was removed

EPA said: hey Apple, why is that container open?
Apple responded: its open so the vapors vent & it doesn't explode

Speaking of Apple's Chemical Bunker...when US EPA started looking around, it saw 30 containers of corrosive liquid, & 12 containers of flammable liquids, all "stacked against the wall." The labels were not visible so EPA had to dig through the jugs to figure out what was there.

The US EPA inspector also came across a pile of random containers of hazardous waste, apparently thrown in the corner of the Bunker. Three container's contents were unknown. All 10 were not dated & had not been analyzed. Apple claimed they had just left them there that morning.

If you're thinking, ok that sounds dangerous, but I'm sure Apple was keeping an eye on things...The facility operated 24/7 but only M-F. On the weekends it was unattended & they didn't monitor their waste. They also stopped weekly inspections after I learned what they were doing.

Finally lets talk about Apple's factory exhaust. Much of Apple's solvent exhaust vented out "as is" from the main system. The illegal solvent treatment tank exhaust went through untested carbon boxes, but then out a tiny vent pointed *down* at the building. There were no permits.

My civil lawsuit against Apple includes 2 toxic tort claims for what they are doing at this factory. I alleged Nuisance + Ultrahazardous Activities. The US Judge is letting me proceed with both claims. Our first case management conference is next week.

https://x.com/ashleygjovik/status/1792699882815537416

Apple's lawyers & I are supposed to have our 26f meet/confer by Tues in preparation for our first case mgmt conference mid-July. Apple's lawyers don't want to talk to me now; & their primary defense continues to be highly inflammatory personal attacks.

https://x.com/ashleygjovik/status/1803890606298522066

Apple can keep flailing around, but we're in federal court now & they will be forced to face the music. I'm also waiting to hear from US Dept of Labor Judge if I can add RCRA, Clean Air Act, & TSCA retaliation claims. Finally, its also possible DOJ could pursue criminal charges.

All of this excitement about Apple's many toxic waste failures was apparently too much for DropBox and they needed to take a break. In the meantime, I've now also shared the documents here: drive.proton.me/urls/KPZ6E314Q…

@CarlaRK3 There's a cause of action under RCRA where if there's an imminent substantial danger to public safety, you can go to a US Court & sue the US EPA & get a US Judge to Order US EPA to deal fix it. I opened with that threat - it worked.

law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/42…
law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/42…

@CarlaRK3 *to fix it / * deal with it

I'm tired and just making up new phrases now

^ 12/2022: "EPA found that NMP presents unreasonable risk to the health of workers for all occupational uses and to consumers from one consumer use."
epa.gov/chemicals-unde…