Countywide strikes a deal - Landfill owner agrees to pay $1.05 million in fines to OEPA

By ZACH LINT
The Times-Reporter

EAST SPARTA – The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency announced an agreement with Countywide Recycling & Disposal Facility at East Sparta Wednesday, in which the landfill will pay more than $1 million in fines and follow strict orders to abate its odor issue and stop its underground fires.

Countywide’s parent company, Republic Waste Services, has 60 days to submit a plan to snuff out underground fires at the landfill. The plan must be approved by the OEPA.

Countywide also must revise its odor control plan, assess the landfill’s integrity and perform weekly air quality sampling.

In all, Republic will pay $1,050,000 in fines, $250,000 of which will be used to created a Community Benefit Project Fund....Read more.