WILLIAMSPORT – The Department of Environmental Protection has denied a general permit renewal application submitted by Recycling Environmental Group of Hemlock Township, Columbia County, because the company continues to illegally store waste tires on its property.
In addition, DEP has filed legal documents to forfeit REG’s bond of $109,650 so the money can be used to clean up waste tires at the now inactive business.
“The company ignored our August order giving them 60 days to remove the waste tires,” Northcentral Regional Director Robert Yowell said. “DEP will not tolerate this disregard for environmental compliance. REG will pay for the cleanup.”
In June 2005, DEP finalized a grant agreement with REG that required the company to process 1 million tires from the Starr tire pile for about $1 million. REG was to shred the tires into two-inch chips at the Starr site and then transport the chips to its tire processing facility in Hemlock Township for further processing.
In December 2005, REG transported about 500 tons of tire shreds to the facility and dumped them on the ground. DEP notified REG in several inspection reports that it was in violation of its permit and DEP regulations for storing the tire shreds in this manner.
REG had been telling DEP since December 2005 that it would process the tire chips, but this has not been done. The grant agreement ended on June 30.
On Aug. 18, DEP issued an order requiring REG to process or dispose of the tire shreds improperly stored at the site within 60 days. The company failed to comply with the order.
Once the bond forfeiture is complete, the money will be placed into the Solid Waste Abatement Fund, which finances cleanups across the commonwealth. After that, bids will be solicited and a contract awarded to a commercial contractor to do the cleanup work.
