In the last month alone, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection has issued the following due to gag-inducing odors throughout our region: A suspension of KSL’s Settlement Accommodation Plan. An open letter from the DEP Secretary admitting to an unacceptable problem. Two Notices of Violation for Malodors.
But no real, meaningful consequences.
Keystone Sanitary Landfill lost control of their operations long ago and it gets worse as it gets bigger.
There is only one answer to getting back our quality of life. The DEP’s approval of multi-decade landfill expansion must be overturned.
Support our appeal. The trial starts in the Spring in front of the Environmental Hearing Board. This is our last chance to save the quality of life in our area.
LACKAWANNA COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) announced Monday they have issued a second Notice of Violation (NOV) against Keystone Sanitary Landfill (KSL) within a month, this one for leachate odors emanating from their sites in Dunmore and Throop.
According to DEP, this NOV was issued to KSL for failing to control odors from the leachate lagoons at its facility in Dunmore and Throop Boroughs.
DEP says its investigation into residents’ complaints revealed that the odors rose to the level of a “malodor” after being detected by DEP staff at three homes in Throop Borough.
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A representative of DEP’s Emergency Response Team responded to odor complaints on December 2, 2023, and detected moderate to strong leachate odors, consistent with those detected at KSL’s leachate lagoons on Cypress Street, Dunmore Street, George Street, Marshwood Road, and South Street, including the “malodors.”
DEP suspends Keystone Landfill’s Settlement Accommodation Plan
DEP regulation defines a “malodor” as: “An odor which causes annoyance or discomfort to the public and which the Department determines to be objectionable to the public.” A malodor is confirmed if a landfill-associated odor is detected on a complainant’s property, with the complainant, by department staff and is determined to be objectionable to the public.