Attorney General Brown announces civil complaint against World Recycling Company

BALTIMORE — Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown is taking legal action against the World Recycling Company and three related entities.

In a civil complaint, Attorney General Brown requests the WRC receive civil penalties, and a court order to clean-up open dumps and accumulated solid waste at two of their locations in Maryland.

The World Recycling Company has been a recycling sorting and processing facility at locations in Cheverly and Baltimore City since 2014, according to the Attorney General's office. 

In 2018, the WRC received an administrative enforcement action from the Department of the Environment, resulting in a Consent Order. 

Later in 2019, the WRC building in Cheverly was destroyed by a fire, and the Attorney General says they've been running an "unpermitted transfer station and open dump" in the same location. 

The Attorney General also said the WRC has also allowed solid waste to accumulate on their Baltimore City property, resulting in an open dump, a habitat for vermin, and a fire hazard, as well as putting pollutants in a position to contaminate the waters of the state.

"World Recycling Company created an environmental hazard by operating open dumps of solid waste, violating Maryland's environmental laws and, given the locations of the two facilities, disproportionately affecting overburdened communities and communities of color.", Attorney General Brown said.  "We are asking the Court to order WRC to cease violating the law, remedy the disaster they created, and make sure they are fully compliant with the law going forward"