Milpitas landfill reaches $210K settlement with Air District over pollution violations
MILPITAS – The Bay Area Air Quality Management District announced a settlement Thursday over numerous violations at the Newby Island Landfill in Milpitas.
Browning-Ferris Industries of California Inc., and International Disposal Corp. of California agreed to pay $210,000 to settle with the air quality district.
The settlement covers 30 notices of violation from 2014 to 2020 for non-compliance with air quality regulations at the landfill.
Violations included landfill gas surface leaks associated with composting operations in 2014 and 2015, landfill wellhead positive pressure violations between 2015 and 2019 and gas collection shutdowns in 2019. The settlement also cited public nuisance violations based on odor complaints between 2014 and 2016.
"Protecting air quality and the health of Bay Area residents is our top priority," said Sharon Landers, interim executive officer of the air district. "This financial settlement is just one tool we use to ensure that Newby Island Landfill takes responsibility to comply with air quality regulations and does not negatively impact surrounding communities through its operations."
The air district announced that all of the violations cited in the settlement have been corrected.
When a notice of violation is issued by the district, violators are required to respond within 10 days and submit a description of their plan to fix the issue, including shutting down certain operations immediately or changing operations or equipment to comply.
The Bay Area Air Quality Management District said that the funds from the settlement will be used to fund inspection and enforcement activities similar to the ones that led to the settlement.