Advanced Disposal Closing Vermont Landfill, at Least Temporarily

Advanced Disposal Services Inc. and the state of Vermont have reached a settlement for the company to at least temporarily close its Moretown landfill because of environmental issues.

The settlement calls for the closure of the facility as of July 15 and the submission of final closure, odor and groundwater plans, the Ponte Vedra, Fla.-based Advanced Disposal said in a news release. The landfill can reopen if and when its Cell 4 expansion request is permitted and constructed.

Advanced Disposal and the state have filed a joint consent order with the Vermont Environmental Court for its approval.

The Vermont Agency of Natural Resources (ANR) denied recertification of the landfill for failure to control odor and landfill gas emissions and for groundwater quality issues. ANR initially gave Advanced Disposal an April 15 deadline to close the facility, but the Vermont Superior Court Environmental Division extended the ANR deadline to July 15.

Advanced Disposal assumed operations of the landfill last fall, and it since has invested more than $1 million in infrastructure and operational improvements to the facility. The company said it has successfully addressed and eliminated all odor issues and complaints.