The state slapped a $25,000 fine on the operator of a Rostraver landfill and a sister firm that collects garbage.
According to a consent decree, the companies used two garbage trucks for about six months in 2019 to transport and dump municipal garbage at the firm’s landfill without a proper state sticker.
Consent decrees were signed Wednesday by the state Department of Environmental Protection in Pittsburgh with Westmoreland Sanitary Landfill LLC and County Hauling LLC.
They also direct the Rostraver companies to provide $25,000 worth of trash collection and hauling services to community cleanup initiatives over a five-year period.
The companies were fined because of violations of the state’s Waste Transportation Act from Dec. 31, 2018, to July 2019, according to the consent decree.
The violations occurred when County Hauling rented two trucks to supplement its fleet of more than 150 garbage trucks, said Ro Rozier, a spokeswoman for the companies. The fact that the trucks did not have proper stickers was “an administrative oversight” and “did not have an environmental impact,” Rozier said.
While the total fine was $40,000 for using unauthorized trash hauling vehicles, the state said it accepted the company’s proposal to provide free community cleanup services in lieu of an additional $15,000 fine. The consent order says the company offered to increase the value of the community service projects by $10,000.
“This is an illustration of the company’s continued commitment to improving the environment,” Rozier said.
The landfill and trash hauling companies are to provide services to cleanup projects identified by or referred to DEP.
This amounts to transporting and disposing of 250 tons of waste — or 25 roll-off containers, that can contain 30 cubic yards of waste each.
The period for completing the community service projects can be extended by five years if there are not enough projects to reach the $25,000 value.
