The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) announced in a May 12 letter that a recent inspection uncovered odor-related violations at a Lower Saucon Township landfill that wants to expand, and which has been the subject of recent odor complaints by nearby residents.
The entrance to IESI Bethlehem Landfill on Applebutter Road in Lower Saucon Township.
In a letter to IESI Bethlehem Landfill Acting District Manager Lee Zimmerman, DEP Waste Management Program Compliance Specialist Rachel Miller said an April 21 inspection at the Applebutter Road facility uncovered the following violations:
- “IESI failed to maintain intermediate cover so as to prevent odors, and to cover solid waste after it is placed without change in its properties and without regard to weather, in violation of 25 Pa. Code 273.201(c)(2) and 273.233(b)(1) and (2) and Permit 100020 Part II Section III Condition 3-b. Specifically, slight to moderate landfill gas odors were detected along the southern slope where washouts were observed along the slopes and around landfill gas wells. Also, solid waste was visible through the intermediate cover on the southern slope.”
- “IESI failed to implement the gas control and monitoring plan approved under 25 Pa. Code 273.171 (relating to the gas monitoring and control plan), and failed to effectively monitor gas collection for nuisance potential, in violation of 25 Pa. Code 273.201(c)(2) and 273.292(a) and Permit 100020 Part III Section I Condition VII-1. Specifically, settlement was noted at leachate cleanout LC-23 causing a gap with Flame Ionization Detector (FID) readings in excess of 10,000 PPM (methane) and strong landfill gas odors detected at LC-23.
Miller said in her Notice of Violation letter that was also sent to township officials that IESI must provide “prompt correction” of the violations.
“Failure to correct the violations may result in legal proceedings under the Solid Waste Management Act,” she wrote. “Under the Act, each day of the violation is considered a distinct and separate offense and will be handled accordingly.”
IESI was instructed to submit a correction plan for the violations to Miller within 15 days of its receipt of the letter.
The subject of odors in the area of the landfill–including the Steel City neighborhood–has been a frequent and sometimes emotional subject of discussion at recent township council meetings, and council has requested assistance from DEP in determining the source of the odors so they can be dealt with.
Some residents of the densely populated residential neighborhood–which is located on the other side of a ridge from the landfill–also recently received letters from a law firm gauging interest in the filing of an odor-related class action lawsuit.
