Section 12-8-82. Criminal penalty

   (a) Any person who:

   (1) Knowingly transports or causes to be transported any hazardous waste as defined in this article to a facility which does not have a permit or interim status pursuant to Code Section 12-8-66, which does not have a variance pursuant to Code Section 12-8-69, or which is not subject to an order of the director which specifically authorized continued operation of such facility;

   (2) Knowingly treats, stores, or disposes of any hazardous waste as defined in this article:

      (A) Without a permit or interim status pursuant to Code Section 12-8-66, a variance pursuant to Code Section 12-8-69, or an order of the director allowing such treatment, storage, or disposal of hazardous waste;

      (B) In knowing violation of any material condition or requirement of such permit, interim status, variance, or order; or

      (C) In knowing violation of any material condition or requirement of any applicable regulations or standards promulgated in accordance with Code Section 12-8-64;

   (3) Knowingly omits material information or makes any false material statement or representation in any application, label, manifest, record, report, permit, or other document filed, maintained, or used for purposes of compliance with this article or regulations promulgated in accordance with Code Section 12-8-64;

   (4) Knowingly generates, stores, treats, transports, disposes of, exports, or otherwise handles any hazardous waste as defined in this article, whether such activity took place before or takes place after March 14, 1985, and who knowingly destroys, alters, conceals, or fails to file any record, application, manifest, report, or other document required to be maintained or filed for purposes of compliance with this article or regulations promulgated in accordance with Code Section 12-8-64; or

   (5) Knowingly transports without a manifest or causes to be transported without a manifest, any hazardous waste required by this article or regulations promulgated in accordance with Code Section 12-8-64 to be accompanied by a manifest

shall, upon conviction, be subject to a fine of not more than $50,000.00 for each day of violation, or imprisonment for not less than one nor more than two years, or three years in the case of a violation of paragraph (1) or (2) of this subsection, or both. If the conviction is for a violation committed after a first conviction of such person under this subsection, the maximum punishment under the respective paragraphs shall be doubled with respect to both fine and imprisonment.

(b) Any person who knowingly transports, treats, stores, disposes of, or exports any hazardous waste as defined in this article in violation of paragraph (1), (2), (3), (4), or (5) of subsection (a) of this Code section and who knows at that time that by such action another person is placed in imminent danger of death or serious bodily injury shall, upon conviction, be subject to a fine of not more than $250,000.00 or imprisonment for not less than one nor more than 15 years, or both. A defendant that is an organization shall, upon conviction of violating this subsection, be subject to a fine of not more than $1 million.

(c) An organization may be convicted for the criminal acts set forth in subsections (a) and (b) of this Code section, if an agent of the organization performs the conduct which is an element of the crime while acting within the scope of such agent's office or employment and in behalf of the organization or if the commission of the criminal act set forth in subsection (a) or (b) of this Code section is authorized, requested, commanded, performed, or recklessly tolerated by the board of directors of the organization or by a managerial official who is acting within the scope of such official's employment on behalf of the organization.

Ga. L. 1979, p. 1127, § 7; Ga. L. 1982, p. 3, § 12; Ga. L. 1985, p. 266, § 10; Ga. L. 1986, p. 10, § 12; Ga. L. 1992, p. 2234, § 5; Ga. L. 1994, p. 1101, § 4.