Credit: Tom Sofield/LevittownNow.com
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection has levied a $528,000 fine against Waste Management’s three Lower Bucks County landfill operations.
Officials from the DEP said various penalties are being assessed due to odor nuisance violations at Tullytown Landfill and leachate storage violations at GROWS, GROWS North and Tullytown Landfills. The three facilities are operated by Texas-based Waste Management.
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From the DEP:
The $528,000 Consent Assessment of Civil Penalty is to resolve penalty liability related to the frequent and recurring offsite odor nuisances experienced by Florence, New Jersey residents, related to operations at the Tullytown Landfill, as well as leachate storage violations that occurred at all three of the landfills, located in lower Bucks County. Landfill leachate is a liquid, primarily from precipitation, that has permeated or drained through solid waste and must be treated onsite or transported to a treatment facility.”
DEP Southeast Regional Director Cosmo Servidio noted that Waste Management has worked to limit the amount of odor coming from the Tullytown Landfill but they were not successful. The director noted the agency received ” verified complaints regarding offsite odors from Tullytown Landfill throughout a period from September 2014 through May 2015.”
Waste Management spokesperson John Hambrose told LevittownNow.com the company has paid the penalties and continues to work to reduce any issues, along with construction of its new landfill by the U.S. Steel facility.
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“The number and persistence of the offsite odors warranted a civil penalty. In addition, Waste Management, Inc. was assessed a penalty for the storage of excessive amounts of leachate for unacceptable durations throughout the period of January 2013 through May 2015 at all three landfills. The storage violations resulted from Waste Management, Inc.’s inability to manage the leachate generated by the three landfills by its approved leachate treatment methods and necessitated the hauling of leachate to offsite treatment facilities in order to come into compliance,” Servidio said.
Waste Management has crews patrol both Bucks County and parts of New Jersey to monitor odors and litter that may come from the landfill, Hambrose said.
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Recently, the state told Waste Management they would have to cease waste disposal operations and properly close the Tullytown landfill by May 22, 2019. The GROWS North Landfill in Falls Township, which has not received waste in several years, is expected to be properly closed in February 2019. Waste Management expects to open their next planned Fairless Landfill in the coming years.
Hambrose said residents who have concerns or questions about the landfills can all 215-741-2925 to contact operators. He said the phone line is monitored 24/7.
