PITTSBURGH – The Department of Environmental Protection found 71 violations on 57 of the 398 trash trucks inspected at eight landfills in southwestern Pennsylvania last week. All of the violations were against haulers, not the landfills.
“This is part of an ongoing effort to ensure that trash haulers comply with environmental regulations and highway safety laws,” DEP Southwest Regional Director Ken Bowman said.
The inspections took place at Valley Landfill in Penn Township, Greenridge Landfill in East Huntingdon Township and Sanitary Landfill in Rostraver Township, all in Westmoreland County; BFI Imperial in Findlay Township and Monroeville Landfill in Monroeville, both in Allegheny County; Laurel Highlands Landfill in Jackson Township, Cambria County; and Mostoller Landfill in Somerset and Brothersvalley townships and Shade Landfill in Shade Township, both in Somerset County.
Trash haulers must get authorization from DEP through Act 90, the state’s Waste Transportation Safety Act, to haul trash in Pennsylvania. DEP inspectors look at compliance history, and if outstanding violations exist or there is an inability to comply with Act 90 regulations, the state can revoke authorization.
In addition to checking the Act 90 authorization, DEP inspectors also look for fire extinguisher and sign violations; drivers not properly managing waste during transportation; leaking loads; improper covers over the waste; trucks that are overweight or otherwise overloaded; and log book or record-keeping violations.
Six trucks did not have valid written Act 90 authorizations. One truck did not have the proper Act 90 sticker.
DEP issued 38 summary citations, 12 notices of violation and 21 written warnings. Twenty trucks had leaking loads and 17 trucks had problems with their tarps. Other violations included problems with signs, waste containment and vehicle waste enclosures.
A single vehicle may have more than one violation.