Waste Management Will Pay $2.1m Fine For Landfill Violations
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection has announced that Waste Management of Pennsylvania will pay $2.1 million in penalties as part of a settlement agreement for falsification of waste-receipt records discovered during a five-month DEP audit of the company's Evergreen Landfill in Center Township, Indiana County. The agreement also requires the Evergreen Landfill to fund two community environmental projects valued at $377,912. According to the DEP, Evergreen employees intentionally falsified the landfill's records to conceal violations of the maximum daily volume of waste the landfill could accept on 63 different occasions between Jan. 5, 2000, and Aug. 20, 2001. To cover up these violations, company employees had to falsify records for a total of 139 days to show the daily volume was not exceeded. The total amount of excess tonnage accepted over the allowed limit was 2,533 tons. Waste Management of Pennsylvania cooperated in the department's audit and subsequently fired the landfill's manager and scale-house operator...Read More »
Pepco Announces Plans For Virginia Landfill Methane Hookup
Pepco Energy Services, a subsidiary of Pepco Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: POM), in partnership with Commonwealth Green Energy, LLC and Fauquier County landfill owners, will transform the Warrenton, Va. landfill into a source of green energy. Pepco Energy Services will build and operate the 2 MW power plant fueled by landfill gases at the site. The $2 million dollar project will supply green electricity to PES customers. This project showcases a new financial approach developed by PES that requires no investment or other incentives from either the county or state level. PES created this new model specifically for smaller landfills that, unlike their larger counterparts, have limited to no access to government subsidies to implement "green" projects. The plant is expected to be completed by the third quarter, and is expected to expand to 3 MW in 10 years...Read More »
Beck, SCS Develop Florida Drywall Recycling Program
An ongoing pilot program in Florida's Orange and Seminole counties, being overseen by R. W. Beck, Inc. and SCS Engineers, is exploring the recycling potential of drywall to reduce volume and foul odors in landfills. During the program, tons of wasted drywall will be separated into two separate products, paper and gypsum. Gypsum, commonly used to make cement and new drywall, also produces agricultural additives for crops such as citrus, tomatoes and peanuts. Funding for the program is being provided by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) through the Innovative Recycling Grants...Read More »
SPSA Announces Plans For Automated Recycling
The Southeastern Public Service Authority has announced plans to begin a fully-automated curbside recycling program. The program, which will be phased in over several years, will cost about $2.92 per home per month, up from about $1.05 currently. Recycling is an issue for SPSA because of its need to replace an aging fleet of vehicles. The cost to replace the trucks is estimated at $2 million...Read More »
Rechargeable Battery Corp. Announces Free Recycling Program
The Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation, a non-profit public service organization dedicated to recycling rechargeable batteries, has announced that any public agency that wishes to participate in its Charge Up to Recycle! battery recycling program may do so free of charge beginning this month. In 2001, RBRC omitted fees associated with its community recycling program. The program is now available at no charge to public agencies, including federal, state and local governmental agencies, public hospitals, police and fire departments, and military institutions. Since RBRC lifted its participation fees for communities, they have seen an increase in program participation of 21 percent...Read More »
Waste Industries Acquires Three Companies
Waste Industries USA, Inc. (Nasdaq: WWIN) has acquired three companies. Hammock Sanitation is a tuck-in to its Crossville, Tennessee residential and commercial routes. Kellett's Sanitation, Inc. is a tuck-in to existing operations in Easley, South Carolina and S & W Sanitation is a tuck-in to existing residential services in Wilson, North Carolina. Waste Industries USA, Inc. provides waste handling services in North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia and Florida...Read More »
Government Requires Pollution Control At Main Rhode Island Landfill
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Department of Justice have announced that the Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corp., the owner/operator of the state's Central Landfill in Johnston, R.I., will be spending more than $5 million on air pollution control measures as part of a settlement of alleged Clean Air Act violations. Stemming from an EPA investigation started in the late 1990s, the settlement with RIRRC requires payment of a $321,000 penalty and installation of additional pollution control systems. The 190-acre landfill handles most of the state's household and commercial waste...Read More »
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