January 2004

BFI Agrees to Pay Fine to Settle Alleged Odor Violations

Morgantown, PA— BFI Conestoga Landfill said it has voluntarily agreed to a settlement with the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) under which it will pay a fine of $142,500 to resolve 19 alleged odor violations issued from early April through early November.

“We have aggressively pursued and implemented a variety of measures to minimize and control odors as is required by DEP regulations,” said Terry Cooney, General Manager. “We take our responsibilities to the Commonwealth and to our neighbors very seriously, and we will continue to seek out and apply the very latest odor-control technology and techniques.”

Under the agreement, Conestoga also will voluntarily restrict its intake of waste to an average of 5,500 tons per day until the expiration of the consent order on August 31, 2004, rather than its permitted average of 7,210 tons per day. However, BFI Conestoga can request a higher volume from the DEP beginning in July 2004.

In late October, Conestoga began trial use of a prototype technology that applies a “biofilter” to the working face of the landfill to prevent odor from reaching the air. It also began drilling a dozen new wells that will tap and flare off gas from inactive areas of the landfill.

Earlier this year, Conestoga constructed a 300-foot-long, 25-foot-high earth-covered berm to block off the working area visually, reduce noise, and lessen the chance any odor would drift off site.

The landfill also installed a mobile “misting system” situated at the working area to suppress odor from waste prior to covering. This complemented a stationary misting system already in place around the western side of the landfill. Tank trucks also are used to spray water with odor neutralizers on the working area.