Pennsylvania DEP revokes tire recycler’s permit

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) says it has revoked the waste management permit for Chambersburg Tire Recycling (CTR), a tire recycling company in Hamilton Township, Pa. The agency cites the company’s failure to resolve compliance issues and waste management violations at its Hamilton Township scrap tire processing facility in Franklin County.

“Despite DEP’s various attempts to bring Chambersburg Tire Recycling into compliance and correct the environmental issues at the property, the company failed to comply with the department’s regulations and orders,” says Lynn Langer, DEP South-central regional director. “A permit revocation is the last resort, but it was necessary to bring a stop to the violations occurring.”

CTR was first established in 2006 to clean up an existing pile of 750,000 scrap tires at the site and to begin a tire processing business.

Jan. 12, 2007, the owner of CTR entered into a Consent Order and Agreement (COA) with DEP to abide by its waste management permit limits for accepting tires, to process old and new tires in accordance with its processing plan and to reuse or properly dispose of all processed material generated at the site. Between January 2007 and June 2010, CTR did not comply with the COA or its permit, according to the DEP.

June 14, 2010, CTR entered into a new COA with the DEP in which the company agreed to reduce the number of tires at the site, cease accepting tires during periods when the processing equipment was inoperable and submit records to DEP detailing the number of tires imported and exported. CTR did not comply with the new COA, the DEP alleges.

Dec. 5, 2013, DEP says it ordered CTR to properly dispose of all remaining scrap tires and waste at the site within 30 days. CTR failed to comply with the order, the DEP says.

Based on the department’s most recent estimate, CTR has 780 tons of waste materials on site, which includes scrap tires, scrap tire beads, scrap tire wire and treads.

Prior to the decision to revoke the permit, DEP says it held weekly meetings with CTR to encourage proper removal and management of tires and wastes. Once the permit is revoked, CTR can no longer accept or process material.

The department is currently evaluating remediation options for the site.