Dann
COLUMBUS, Ohio - Ohio Attorney General Marc Dann says two companies that own and operate a landfill refuse to abide by court orders.
Dann, on behalf of the state's Environmental Protection Agency, filed Second Charges in Contempt against Warren Recycling, Inc., and Warren Hills LLC, Thursday in Trumbull County Common Pleas Court.
Dann says the companies has violated a Nov. 2005 judgment against it on contempt penalties and a July 2003 consent order.
"Warren Recycling is the poster child for reckless mismanagement of a landfill," Dann said. "The arrogance of the owners of Warren Recycling and Warren Hills and their almost total indifference to the health and safety of the residents living in surrounding neighborhoods is truly appalling."
Dann says the companies have:
- Failed to properly manage and control leachate;
- Failed to submit an approvable closure plan;
- Failed to submit a post-closure plan;
- Failed to implement groundwater monitoring;
- And that each defendant has failed to pay $325,000 in penalties order in Nov. 2005.
On July 1, 2003, a Consent Order and Permanent Injunction to which the defendants agreed were filed to resolve alleged violations. In March of the following year, the State of Ohio filed its first contempt charges. Eight months later, the court found the defendants in contempt.
In Nov. 2005, the court ordered payment of the penalties and ordered compliance with the July 2003 Consent Order. Dann says the companies have not complied with that, either.
Also in 2005, the U.S. EPA installed a leachate collection system at the landfill. Dann says the Warren community has had to deal with hydrogen sulfide gas emissions because of the defendants.
"We will continue to pursue them until they finally learn, once and for all, that they are not above the law," Dann said.