Virginia DEQ Considers Regulations on Waste Barges
The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality is considering public input before approving regulations on trash barge containers and the fees charged to waste companies. It is too late to argue against the barges altogether; a federal court ruling struck down previous state laws designed to stop the flow of out-of-state trash in Virginia. Waste Management has long had an interest in barging trash in Virginia. The company agreed earlier this year not to begin barging trash until the regulations are in place, as long as that happens by August. Virginia imported 4.8 million tons of out-of-state trash in 2001, mostly trucked from Maryland, New York and Washington, D.C., to go into state landfills...Read More »
American Ecology Institutes New Efficiency Software
American Ecology Corporation (Nasdaq: ECOL) has implemented its American Ecology Standard Operating Platform, or AESOP, a new production software application. The system is expected to improve the company's cash flow by speeding the order-to-cash cycle, improving efficiency through rapid access to critical business information. The company implemented the new system at its Beatty, Nevada and Robstown, Texas waste treatment and disposal facilities in May. The Company's Grand View, Idaho treatment and disposal facility will convert to the new operating platform in July 2003. AESOP operates on a high-availability Oracle/Linux platform, and was entirely built by company personnel...Read More »
Ecology & Environment Reports Third-Quarter Revenues
Net revenues for Ecology and Environment, Inc. (Amex: EEI) for the third quarter of fiscal year 2003 were $24.4 million, up 33% from the $18.3 million reported in the third quarter of fiscal year 2002. Net income for the quarter was $588,000 or $.14 per share, up 47% from the $400,000 or $.10 per share reported in the prior year. Company officials said their contracts in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait together with increases in net revenues from various commercial and U.S. Department of Defense clients accounted for the majority of the increase...Read More »
Trojan Technologies Wins $2.5m Environmental Treatment Contract
Trojan Technologies has been awarded a major contract for its environmental contaminant treatment systems in California's San Gabriel Basin. The new contract, valued at approximately $2.5 million, was awarded by the San Gabriel Valley Water Company. Trojan's equipment will be used to remove NDMA (N-nitrosodimethylamine) and 1,4-dioxane from groundwater at the company's B5 site. The other sites where Trojan's systems are, or will be, installed in the San Gabriel Basin include: La Puente, B6, Subarea-1, and Cal Domestic. When all five facilities are operational, Trojan's systems will be treating over 50 million gallons of drinking water a day. The total value of the contracts for Trojan is approximately $12.5 million...Read More »
Casella Sells Non-Core Recycling Commodities Business
Casella Waste Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq: CWST), is finalizing the sale of its non-core recycled commodities brokerage businesses located in Passaic, N. J. The company is selling the brokerage operation to employees who currently operate the business. The timing of the transaction requires it to be reflected in the company's fiscal year 2003 results. The company said that the audit of its fiscal year 2003 results has been substantially completed by PriceWaterhouseCoopers...Read More »
San Diego City Council Studies Mission Bay Landfill Site
A San Diego City Council committee has unanimously approved a proposal for the city to enter an agreement to study the Mission Bay landfill, a 1950's-era landfill potentially containing toxic agents that could be leaking into nearby waterways. The landfill has stalled any building, development, or landscaping on the bayfront property. The two-phase study will cost an estimated $600,000. The Mission Bay landfill was operated by the city from 1952 through 1959. The landfill is an unlined trench eight to 12 feet below the surface filled with municipal solid waste and liquid industrial waste. According to studies performed by environmental consultant firm Woodward Clyde, as much as 2.2 million gallons were dumped in the landfill...Read More »
India Becoming A New Dumping Ground For E-Waste
India is fast becoming a dumping ground for electronic waste, especially used computers from the United States, Singapore and South Korea, an environmental group has warned. Toxics Link, based in New Delhi, said in a report that most electronic waste (e-waste) is imported into India. Although the Indian government has prohibited the importing of used computers, they land as "donations" or "charity" and "there is no specific check to monitor (its) entry," the report said. Toxics Link accused foreign companies of helping Indian importers bypass government regulations to bring in the goods for recycling...Read More »
Justice Department Joins Whistleblower Lawsuits Against Lockheed Martin
The U.S. Justice Department has decided to join two whistle-blower lawsuits against Lockheed Martin Corp. alleging the firm submitted false claims while failing to properly store and dispose of radioactive and hazardous wastes at the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant in Paducah, KY. The lawsuits, originally filed in June 1999 by the Natural Resources Defense Council, a scientist at the environmental group and three plant employees, alleged that Lockheed Martin Energy Systems submitted false claims for millions of dollars. The defense contractor operated the plant for the U.S. Department of Energy from 1984 through 1998. The lawsuits alleged that Lockheed Martin Energy Systems made false statements to the Energy Department and regulators about radioactive and hazardous wastes and that some were improperly disposed of in landfills at the plant. The lawsuits alleged the company was required by its contract with the Energy Department to comply with federal environmental law...Read More »
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