Trash trucks using two south central Pennsylvania landfills failed inspection

Harrisburg, PA— As part of an ongoing statewide effort to ensure trash haulers comply with environmental and safety laws, inspectors for the Department of Environmental Protection found 14 violations among 442 trucks using two landfills in south central Pennsylvania.

The inspections took place November 8 and 9th, at Modern Landfill in Windsor and Lower Windsor townships, York County and Cumberland County Landfill in Hopewell and North Newton townships, Cumberland County. All of the violations were against the haulers, not the landfills.

DEP conducts random, unannounced trash truck inspections to ensure compliance with state law. Trash haulers must get authorization from DEP to haul trash in Pennsylvania. DEP inspectors look at compliance history and if outstanding violations exist or there is an inability to comply with Waste Transportation Safety Act (Act 90) regulations, the state can revoke authorization.

In addition to checking Act 90 authorization, DEP inspectors look for sign violations, drivers not properly managing waste during transportation, fire extinguisher violations, leaking loads, improper covers over the waste, overweight or overloaded trucks, and record-keeping violations.

The latest round of summary citations included problems with signs, leaking loads, waste containment and overweight loads. Pennsylvania State Police and DEP aided the inspections.