 |
| William L. Pierce, age
49, Chestnut Avenue, DuBois, Pa., died Friday, Feb. 10, 2017, in Fox
Township, Elk County, after burried under 40 feet of trash |
Pennsylvania DEP Issues $600,000 Penalty to Advanced Disposal Services
Greentree Landfill, LLC for Waste Slope Failure and Other Violations
Meadville, PA – The Pennsylvania Department
of Environmental Protection (DEP) announced that Advanced Disposal
Services Greentree Landfill, LLC (Advanced Disposal) has agreed to a
$600,000 civil penalty in a Consent Order and Agreement addressing a
waste slope failure that resulted in the death of its employee at the
Greentree Landfill in Kersey, Elk County.
On February 8, 2017, a slope failure occurred at the Greentree Landfill
causing an estimated 15.5 acres of solid waste to shift and an estimated
five acres of solid waste to slide off the lined disposal area. A
landfill employee was trapped in the slide and died.
In addition to paying $600,000 for violations of the Solid Waste
Management Act occurring before and after the slide, Advanced Disposal
is required to submit a written “Root Cause” Report to the DEP on or
before December 31, 2017, detailing Advanced Disposal’s investigation
and conclusion regarding the cause of the slope failure. Advanced
Disposal has also agreed to operational changes that will improve
safety, including:
• Limit municipal sewage sludge and approved non-hazardous waste with
flowable characteristics to 10% of the monthly scaled tonnage with a
maximum of 15% of the total scaled tonnage on any one day until the
slide has been remediated
• Limit municipal sewage sludge and approved non-hazardous waste with
flowable characteristics to 15% of the monthly scaled tonnage with a
maximum of 20% of the total scaled tonnage on any one day for three
years after the slide has been remediated
• Remove and dispose of all the waste outside the lined area of the
landfill by March 31, 2018, according to a plan approved by the
Department
• Improve its Odor Control Plan
• Employ an individual or individuals to serve as the primary
engineering and environmental compliance contact for the landfill
The Agreement provides additional stipulated penalties if Advanced
Disposal fails to comply with its obligations in a timely manner.
Landfill Information
Greentree Landfill is an MSW landfill and Permitted
Centralized Treatment Facility that was permitted in 1986. The facility
was most recently expanded in 2008. The facility is permitted by the
Department of Environmental Protection to accept 5500 tons per day
average and a maximum of 6000 tons in any single day. The facility
currently accepts 3000 tons per day average. Municipal Solid Waste,
Construction and Demolition Debris, Municipal and Industrial Sewage
Sludges, non-hazardous liquid waste, asbestos, and residual wastes are
received for disposal. The facility is permitted to accept liquid wastes
for solidification. Additional services include non-hazardous liquids
treatment and disposal, trailer and roll-off container storage. The
facility offers trailer tipper service to unload intercompany and third
party trailers. At current volumes the facility has airspace to 2048.
Greentree Landfill has a high Btu gas cleaning plant onsite
operating since 2007. Currently, we are treating about 6,500 cubic feet
per minute of landfill gas. After the cleaning process, about half of
the landfill gas is sent down a 6.5-mile pipeline to a compressor
station where it is tied into the National Fuel Interstate pipeline
where it is sold as Green Power to power plants.
The facility is included in several County Solid Waste Plans, and
has contracts with residual waste generators both in PA and surrounding
states and accepts waste from Advanced Disposal subsidiaries and third
party companies.
Municipal Solid Waste
Construction and Demolition
Inert Waste
Solidification
Sludge
Wastewater Biosolids
Friable Asbestos
Non-Friable Asbestos
Industrial
Foundry Sands
Hydrofracking Waste
Ash
Contaminated Soil
================================
KERSEY, Pa. (AP) — The body of a missing Pennsylvania landfill worker who was buried when a mound of garbage and dirt slid down onto him has been found.
Pennsylvania State Trooper Bruce Morris says 49-year-old William Pierce’s body was found Friday afternoon under roughly 40 feet of trash at the Greentree Landfill near Kersey.
Pierce was driving a garbage compactor when trash slid down and covered the machine Wednesday.
Elk County Coroner Michelle Muccio says Pierce likely died of blunt force trauma to the head, but the official cause won’t be determined until Saturday’s autopsy.
Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection records show the landfill was fined in 2015 for not being designed in a way to prevent hazards. It’s unclear what those hazards were, but a spokesman for landfill owner Advanced Disposal says that’s not believed to be related to Wednesday’s accident. =========================
William L. Pierce
Obituary
William L. Pierce, age 49, Chestnut Avenue, DuBois, Pa., died Friday, Feb. 10, 2017, in Fox Township, Elk County, as the result of a workplace accident.
Born May 8, 1967, in DuBois, Pa., he was the son of the late Joseph Pierce Sr. and Sarah (Henry) Pierce.
He worked at the Advanced Disposal Greentree Landfill for 18 years.
He was Catholic by faith. He was a life member of the Oklahoma Civilian Defense Fire Co. in Sandy Township. He enjoyed visiting Norm's Gas Station. He loved to hunt and fish and going to camp. Most of all, he loved being with his family.
William is survived by three brothers, Joseph Pierce Jr. of Punxsutawney, Pa., Scott Pierce of Spring, Texas, and Rex Pierce of Meadville, Pa. He made his home with Margaret E. "Peggy" Delp. She survives. He is also survived by his stepchildren: Amanda Maines, Kyle Maines, and Krystina Palumbo and one step grandchild, Courtney Maines. He is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his brother, Randy Pierce.
===========================
UPDATE, Aug. 15: The Occupational Safety and Health
Administration (OSHA) has fined Advanced Disposal more than $12,000 for
a "serious" general duty clause violation in relation to working
conditions at the Greentree Landfill where an employee died in February, as reported by WJAC 6 News.
OSHA's inspection found that Advanced didn't maintain a workplace
"free from recognized hazards that were causing or likely to cause death
or serious physical harm to employees." Specifically, the inspection
cited "unstable conditions" in the form of large cracks at the landfill.
According to the OSHA citation, "the employer failed to take
appropriate precautions and remedial measures" in response to these
cracks.
The inspection didn't identify an exact cause for the landslide and
Pennsylvania's Department of Environmental Protection is still
investigating the incident. Advanced has 15 days from receipt of the
citation to decide whether to correct and pay for the violation or
contest it.
UPDATE, Feb 24: The Greentree Landfill in Kersey, PA has partially reopened following the death of a 49-year-old employee earlier this month, as reported by U.S. News & World Report.
The state's Department of Environmental Protection and OSHA are
investigating the incident and have suggested materials for improvements
at the landfill. Advanced Disposal, which operates the landfill, is
working to bring in those materials and has also hired an engineer to
assess the incident.
UPDATE, Feb. 13: The body of a missing worker
who was buried under 40 feet of garbage at the Greentree Landfill in
Kersey, PA was found late last week. The employee was identified as
William Pierce, 49, according to Pennsylvania State Trooper Bruce Morris.
The Morning Call reports that Pierce was driving a garbage compactor
when a landslide occurred on-site, causing the fatal incident. The
official cause of death has not yet been released.
"Our employees worked tirelessly since Wednesday and used every
available resource in an effort to locate our missing team member,"
Advanced Disposal said in a release, as reported by Centre Daily Times. "We want to thank the local police, fire and emergency management services personnel for their support and efforts."
It is still unclear what caused the landslide or if there is a
follow-up investigation being conducted. Advanced Disposal did not
respond to Waste Dive's request for comment by the time of publication.
- An employee at the Greentree Landfill in Kersey, PA is missing
following an on-site landslide that occurred when the wall of a garbage
cell collapsed, as reported by Courier Express. The landfill is operated
by Advanced Disposal.
- Rescue crews, police and other officials are searching the site for
the missing male worker, whose identity has not been released.
- Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) fined the
landfill $8,500 in late 2015 for "not being designed in a way to prevent
hazards after an unspecified 'incident response,'" as reported by WBAL.
It is not clear what those specific hazards were.
Landslides at most modern
landfills are very rare. Today's landfills are "designed, operated and
regulated to ensure slope stability," therefore this type of occurrence
is not one that workers generally fear. However, this incident
highlights the importance of safety training and compliance, especially
in regards to such unique situations.
State officials often question landfill safety and stability, especially when sites propose vertical expansions that can possibly lead to slope failures. While these types of state technical reviews may result in pushback and re-evaluation of proposals, this vigilance from the state level is crucial to prevent potentially disastrous incidents from occurring.
Safety training and disaster prevention is also crucial at industry
conventions, and associations like SWANA and NWRA have worked hard to
ensure that leaders can share insights on such matters. This type of
training was exemplified at SWANA's Senior Executive Seminar last year and will likely be a focus at many events this year including WasteExpo and WASTECON.
=============================
KERSEY, PA — “We have one hell of a landslide,” emergency responders were heard saying over the Elk County 911 scanner station.
These
words came after emergency responders were dispatched to Greentree
Landfill on Toby Road around 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, after the wall of a
garbage cell collapsed.
The
call was met by massive response from ambulance and fire crews from
across the county, as well as Elkland Search & Rescue, state police
and fire police.
The
incident occurred near the entrance of the landfill near a piece of
machinery that lifts up and dumps trucks. Several employees were working
in that area.
“I believe there
were about five employees who were working in this area when the
incident occurred,” state police public information officer Trooper
Bruce Morris said hours after the event. “Out of the five employees,
four of them were able to either get out of the way of what was going on
or were rescued by other people who were there.”
Morris said to his knowledge none of those people sustained serious injuries.
“There’s
an individual that is missing. The rescue effort going on right now is
to locate where he’s at,” said Morris, describing him as a male employee
of the landfill who was operating a compactor.
Police and the landfill are not releasing the missing man’s name at this time.
Once
it was determined one man was missing non-stop tractor trailers full of
heavy equipment and escorted by police cars were brought to the site to
start to dig.
“It’s a big area up there. It’s a big scene. It’s a large, large area that has moved and actually shifted,” Morris said.
“It’s
enough to cover a piece of equipment that is 14 feet tall if that gives
you an idea of the amount that actually moved and shifted.”
Multiple calls were made
during the daylight hours for helicopters and for use of Elkland’s
drone, however those were ultimately cancelled because there was too
much dirt and garbage coverage for them to be useful.
As
night fell and the snow began to fall, lights were set up and state
police helicopters with infrared radar technology took to the skies to
try to detect where exactly the compactor was located.
Officials say the cause of the collapse remains unknown.
“It’s suffice to say that we’re going to be here until we come to a conclusion,” Morris said.
No official statement was made as of press time by Advanced Disposal, the company who operates the Greentree landfill.
| Violation Items |
|---|
|
| Nr: 1209757.015 |
Citation: 01001 |
Issuance: 08/08/2017 |
ReportingID: 0336000 |
|
|
| Viol Type: | Serious |
NrInstances: | 1 |
Contest Date: | 08/30/2017 |
| Abatement Date: | 09/01/2017 |
Nr Exposed: | 5 |
Final Order: |
|
| Initial Penalty: | $12,675.00 |
REC: | C |
Emphasis: |
|
| Current Penalty: | $12,675.00 |
Gravity: | 10 |
Haz Category: |
|
| Penalty and Failure to Abate Event History |
| Type |
Event |
Date |
Penalty |
Abatement |
Type |
FTA Insp |
| Penalty |
Z: Issued |
08/08/2017 |
$12,675.00 |
09/01/2017 |
Serious |
|
| Penalty |
: |
10/18/2017 |
$12,675.00 |
09/01/2017 |
Serious |
|
Text For Citation: 01 Item/Group: 001 Hazard:
OSH ACT of 1970 Section (5)(a)(1): The employer did not furnish
employment and a place of employment which were free from recognized
hazards that were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical
harm to employees in that employees were exposed to the hazard of
working at a landfill with unstable conditions , resulting in a
landslide that caused the death of an employee: a) Working face of Cell
10B at the Greentree Landfill, 635 Toby Road in Kersey, PA. On or
about February 8, 2017, the employer failed to take appropriate
precautions and remedial measures in response to cracks that repeatedly
appeared in the landfill, indicating that the soil, waste and sludge
materials were unstable.
