DEP Fines Veolia

MEADVILLE -- The Department of Environmental Protection has fined Veolia ES Solid Waste of Pennsylvania Inc. $160,278 for a number of violations in northwest Pennsylvania related to vehicle licensing and failing to abide by the terms of its permit.

The company, based in Brockway, Elk County, operates a municipal waste transfer station in Pittsfield, Warren County. The facility operates under a permit issued by DEP in accordance with the state’s Solid Waste Management Act.

Under the permit, the Warren County transfer station is limited to receiving no more than 120 tons of municipal waste per day.

On April 12, 2007, Veolia disclosed to DEP that the transfer station had exceeded its maximum daily volume and violated its permit by taking in 131.97 tons the previous day. DEP discovered that Veolia also had exceeded its maximum daily volume by accepting 142.81 tons on April 12.

The department also noted a number of trash truck related safety violations during inspections at County Landfill, in Farmington Township, Clarion County, on April 11 and April 24. DEP found vehicles with an inadequately covered load, inadequate signage, and a leaking roll-off container.

Additional violations to Pennsylvania’s Waste Transportation Safety Act were discovered during a follow-up investigation at County Landfill. Veolia was found to be transporting waste to the landfill in trucks that lacked the required state authorization.

Upon further inspection of the company’s records, the trucks without proper authorizations were also found to have delivered waste to the Warren County facility.

“DEP monitors trash hauling vehicles and municipal waste facilities to ensure that refuse is being transported, transferred and disposed of in a safe and responsible manner,” said DEP Regional Director Kelly Burch. “The objective is to protect motorists and the communities where waste facilities are located and through which trash trucks travel.”

DEP issued notices of violation to Veolia for the infractions, which the company has since corrected.

The $160,278 penalty will be deposited in Pennsylvania’s Solid Waste Abatement Fund, which finances cleanups of illegal dumps and other hazards to public health.