Nov 10, 2005 By Josh Krysak 2 min read

GERMAN TWP. – A $50,000 fine was levied against a local waste management company after the state uncovered problems with the landfill’s leachate collection system. Onyx Chestnut Valley Landfill located along Route 21 was fined by the state Department of Environmental Protection after leachate, the liquid that percolates throughout a landfill, overflowed into a newly constructed waste collection area at the site in 2003.

According to a press release issued by DEP, in addition to the fine, the company will install a new storage tank at the site as part of the settlement with the state.

“These actions reflect the department’s responsibility to protect residents and ensure that these landfills operate as responsible neighbors,” Kenneth Bowman, the southwest regional director of the DEP said Wednesday in a press release.

“Fairness, competitiveness and the public’s right to a clan and healthy environment demand that those who don’t meet our standards be dealt with firmly.”

But the company’s attorney, Howard Wein, said on Wednesday that the storage tank was actually suggested by Onyx to help alleviate the problem and added that some mitigation that could have prevent the incident was in the process of being reviewed by the state when the overflow occurred.

DEP officials reported that a storm in the summer of 2003 dumped more than four inches of rain on the site in several hours, overwhelming the leachate system, causing the fluid to overflow into other areas of newly constructed and lined waste areas.

While the DEP admitted that there was no discharge of leachate from the site onto outside property, the spill took weeks to rectify and caused the state to examine the storage capabilities of the site for the a six month period from January to July of 2003.

During that time, the state alleged that the company was only in compliance with storage standards 25 of 189 days.

DEP officials also allege that Onyx saved money by not reporting the overflow immediately to the state, allowing the company to attempt to remedy the situation without hauling away the excess liquid.

“There was never any discharge off the site,” Wein explained.

“And the only reason they didn’t report to DEP immediately was that they were busy dealing with the emergency,” he said.