Rostraver residents told of violations at township landfill
Several violations were found at Westmoreland Sanitary Landfill since late January, but none involves leachate leaving the site, township commissioners said.
At a Wednesday meeting, Commissioner Devin DeRienzo, chairman of the township’s health and welfare committee, said the violations were discovered by state Department of Environmental Protection officials.
“On Jan. 24, the landfill failed to meet performance standards for the protective cover of the leachate collection system,” he said. “The DEP official noticed water or leachate ponding on the working face of the landfill. But I want to make it clear that had nothing to do with leachate being released into a stream or leaving the landfill.”
On Jan. 31, he said, there was a violation of discharge containing floating materials, including scum, sheet foams, oil, grease or substances.
“There are a lot of rumors out there about what these violations mean,” DeRienzo said. “This one was a violation of the landfill’s (National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System) permit. It pertained to sediment in the stormwater, not leachate leaving the site.”
DeRienzo said he participated in a conference call Wednesday with the DEP and learned that most of the violations have been corrected.
Last month, the DEP negotiated a consent order and agreement with the landfill related to leachate concerns. The agreement required payment of a $24,000 civil penalty and noted the landfill agreed to take several corrective actions.
The concerns came to light last year, prompting the district attorneys in Fayette and Washington counties to file for an injunction to stop the company from discharging leachate into the Monongahela River.
When the order was issued, landfill spokeswoman Ro Rozier said the business was pleased with the outcome.
“Under the terms and conditions of this agreement, Westmoreland Sanitary Landfill has committed to investing substantial amounts of capital to purchase and install technology and equipment capable of treating and evaporating the leachate generated from the landfill on site,” she said. “We are confident that our plan for onsite treatment and evaporation will resolve the landfill’s recent leachate disposal issues.”
In other business, the commissioners:
- Approved paying Addis Construction $9,500 for repairs to the Fells Church building;
- Approved entering into a contract with Revize to update the township’s website at a cost of $6,000;
Announced the annual Rostraver Township Easter Celebration will be held at 1 p.m. April 11 at the township’s municipal building.