12 Stories from Around the Waste and Recycling Industry for Feb. 19

Second pipe leaking toxic waste at NC coal ash dump “North Carolina officials said Tuesday that groundwater containing unsafe levels of arsenic apparently leaching from a Duke Energy coal ash dump is still pouring into the Dan River, which is already contaminated from a massive Feb. 2 spill. The state Department of Environment and Natural Resources ordered Duke to stop the flow of contaminated water coming out a pipe that runs under a huge coal ash dump at its Eden power plant. A nearby pipe at the same dump collapsed without warning two weeks ago, coating the bottom of the Dan River with toxic ash as far as 70 miles downstream.” (FoxNews.com)

Halliburton fined $1.8 million over disposal “In one of the largest penalties leveled against an oil and gas service company in Pennsylvania's history, the Department of Environmental Protection fined Halliburton Energy Services $1.8 million for transporting, processing and disposing of hydrochloric acid without classifying it as a hazardous substance. Over a period of 12 years, Halliburton didn't keep records of how much acid it moved, making it difficult to account for all potential infractions, but the DEP counted 255 violations between 1999 and 2011.” (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

Detroit privatizes trash collection, adds biweekly bulk pickup, recycling “The Detroit City Council on Tuesday approved a sweeping privatization deal to enhance the city’s waste collection efforts with twice-a-month recycling and bulk trash pickup beginning as early as this spring. The outsourcing plan offers no financial savings to the city, but it is a key piece of emergency manager Kevyn Orr’s overarching plan to improve city services — a massive undertaking that will be unveiled in greater detail when Orr files in federal bankruptcy court his blueprint to pull the city out of bankruptcy. That report, known as the plan of adjustment, is expected to be made public as early as Wednesday.” (Detroit Free Press)

With landfill space evaporating disposal firm sees growth potential in biochar “Biochar, a spectacular soil additive that has been used for centuries in tropical countries to boost plant growth by more than 50 per cent, is virtually unavailable in Alberta. Produced from waste wood in air-tight ovens that burn most of the volatile elements and leave only carbon, this is not your father’s BBQ charcoal. For a local waste disposal firm, the idea of turning wood and chunks of drywall into a potentially high value product is just part of the allure.” (EdmontonJournal.com)

Agency wants permanent satellite recycling stations “So many people are recycling water bottles at satellite recycling bins set up around the county that members of the Kanawha County Solid Waste Authority want to make the drop-off sites permanent. In the aftermath of the Jan. 9 chemical leak that contaminated tap water for 300,000 people, recycling collection bins were set up in Clendenin, Cross Lanes, Marmet, Sissonville and at the Boy Scout service center on Kanawha Boulevard East in Charleston. Some sites that began with small bins are now hosting roll-off containers that hold 30 cubic yards of plastic.” (The Charleston Gazette)

Rockland recycling workers vote to strike “Employees of the Rockland County Recycling Center in Hillburn who are represented by Teamsters Local 445 have voted to authorize a strike. The 18 workers are employed by ReCommunity, a nationwide recycling company which contracts with Rockland County to operate its facility.” (MIdHudsonNews.com)

Hazardous waste disposal options increase “That old can of oil-based paint and those containers of cleaners don’t have to gather dust in your garage, but can safely be disposed of thanks to a new pilot program by the Clark County Solid Waste District. The district collected household waste once a year at their facility at 1602 W. Main St., but the response was overwhelming, said Steve Schlather, program coordinator.” (Springfield News-Sun)

Landfill gas odors intensify in Absecon “Hundreds of residents in Absecon have signed what they are calling a "Clean Air Petition," with the hopes of ridding their neighborhood of what they describe as toxic smells coming from a nearby dump. Residents who live in the Gatherings at Bel Aire Lakes, 55 and older community, say there's a raunchy and recognizable stench that has been lingering in their neighborhood for years.” (NBC40.net)

Recycling facility sells for $4.2M “The Cherokee Board of Commissioners is moving forward with a $ 4.2 million deal to unload the Ball Ground Recycling facility, although the agreement is far short of the more than $16 million still owed on the property. Commissioners voted 4-1 Tuesday to accept the Resource Recovery Development Authority’s recommendation in favor of a lease purchase from Sugar Hill-based Cowart Mulch Products for the property, which has been costing Cherokee taxpayers $100,000 a month in lease payments.” (CherokeeTribune.com)

County completes purchase of Weyerhaeuser's Headquarters Landfill “Cowlitz County and Weyerhaeuser Co. have completed a purchase deal for the Headquarters Landfill, and the county will pay more than $1 million less than the original purchase price. County commissioners on Tuesday morning approved an agreement that sets the price of the landfill at just under $17.9 million. That’s down from $19 million. The county got the price break in exchange for accepting liability related to hydrogen sulfide emissions from the landfill.” (TDN.com)

Retail group seeks changes to Conn. mattress recycling law “A Connecticut retail organization contends the state's new mattress recycling law puts an unfair burden on retailers, and the group is asking the General Assembly to change the way the recycling program would be funded. The Connecticut Retail Merchants Assn. argues that in effect, the law requires retailers to fund the program since mattress manufacturers would assess them a fee for each piece of bedding sold in the state.” (FurnitureToday)

Fire forces Oberlin to suspend recycling efforts “Residential recycling has been temporarily suspended after a fire at the city’s Public Works Complex. City Manager Eric Norenberg said recyclables that are put out for collection this week will be collected with the garbage and dumped in a land fill. He asked that residents take their mixed paper, chipboard and cardboard to the green and yellow Abitibi bins throughout Oberlin.” (The Chronicle-Telegram)