Stafford company accused of illegally dumping hazardous waste

STAFFORD, TX (KTRK) -- A Stafford company that prints street signs and other products is now accused of illegally dumping hazardous waste repeatedly into the storm drains near its facility.

The company, Anodizing Graphics of Texas, bills itself as an aluminum finishing and printing company. It does business as Durable Printed Products Inc. and is owned by Timothy Langley and Linda Sayers.

The pair was indicted last week by a Fort Bend grand jury. They are each charged with environmental crimes related to the discharge of waste at the business which is in the 800 block of Success Court in Stafford.

Prosecutor Scott Carpenter says it's among the most egregious cases of illegal dumping his office has seen in a decade.

"Terribly extreme situation. It shouldn't occur once. If it occurs over a period of a year or so, it's unacceptable," Carpenter said.

Investigators first received information about the alleged dumping from a former employee at Anodizing Graphics. Owner Timothy Langley says that's why the claims should be suspect. He says they are from a disgruntled employee.

"We're not doing.. .we're not doing it. We're evaporating everything," Langley said.

He went on to tell us he had not been informed of the indictments yet when we approached him outside the business Tuesday, saying "We'll have our time in court. We'll play it out there. We aren't going to play it out on TV."

Carpenter says the DA's office obtained video during the course of its two year investigation showing employees repeatedly dumping barrels of by products from the company's manufacturing process.

Subsequent testing of the storm drains leading to the business showed a presence of Chromium, Cadmium, Mercury, lead, arsenic, silver, nickel and copper.

If found guilty, each charge could be punishable by up to ten years in prison and up to a $50,000 fine.