Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Southwest Regional Director Ken Bowman has announced that DEP has collected a $10,000 fine from Vogel Disposal Services for mixing source-separated recyclables with municipal waste in the same vehicle in Ross Township, Allegheny County.
“Our residents understand the importance of recycling and take the time to separate recyclables from regular household garbage,” Bowman says. “Collection companies not only have a responsibility to comply with state requirements, but the also have a duty to meet their customers’ expectations in good faith.”
After receiving complaints that recyclables were being mixed with the everyday garbage, the department set up surveillance in Ross Township Dec. 10. That afternoon, a Vogel truck was observed loading municipal waste and recyclables into the same vehicle. Because the street was narrow, Vogel sent a dump truck rather than a full-sized packer truck to pick up garbage and recyclables on this street.
DEP conducted a vehicle inspection. The driver admitted that he had mixed the recyclables with garbage along this street and other narrow streets where he is assigned to pick up items.
DEP immediately issued an order to Vogel to cease mixing in the same vehicle. A subsequent notice of violation letter was mailed to Vogel describing the vehicle inspection violations, including waste piled higher than the solid sides of the truck and liquid leaking out from the tailgate area.
Vogel has since built permanent boxes in all of its dump trucks for the recyclables to keep the required separation.