WILLIAMSPORT – The Department of Environmental Protection found eight operational and safety violations on seven trucks during a recent landfill inspection in Clinton County.
“Regularly inspecting the trash trucks operating in Pennsylvania is important to protecting the public’s safety,” said DEP Regional Director Robert Yowell. “These inspections help us to ensure that the trucks are in compliance with environmental regulations and traffic safety laws. If they fail to comply, we can remove them from the road.”
The inspection was conducted Tuesday at the Wayne Township Landfill, which is located along state Route 220.
DEP regional staff inspected 66 trucks while at the landfill. Of the eight violations, five were a result of not having proper signs; two were for having no daily operations log; and one overweight vehicle was cited.
All of the violations were against haulers, not the landfill.
Trash haulers must obtain 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 Act 90 authorization, DEP inspectors look for fire extinguisher and sign violations, drivers not properly managing waste during transport, leaking loads, improper covers over the waste, trucks that are overweight or otherwise overloaded, and log book or record-keeping violations.
Pennsylvania State Police also participated in the Sept. 18 inspections, looking for vehicle safety compliance.