Trash trucks violations found in Pike

WILKES-BARRE - Operational and safety violations were found on eight trash trucks during inspections last week in the westbound lane of Interstate 84 in Palmyra Township, Pike County. DEP inspected 72 trash trucks between 6 a.m. and 1 p.m. Monday, Dec. 12. Eight trucks had a total of 10 violations. Five of the infractions were violations of the state’s Waste Transportation Safety Act, which authorizes trucks and trucking companies to haul trash in Pennsylvania, and included improper paperwork and lack of, or improper location of, authorization stickers. Inspectors also found discharged fire extinguishers, inadequate municipal waste documentation and one violation for an inadequate tarp. DEP inspectors issued three notices of violation and eight summary citations. The inspection program is done as part of statewide “trashnet” operation in conjunction with PennDOT and Pennsylvania State Police. “These inspections keep our environment clean and our highways safe,” Environmental Protection Northeast Regional Director Michael Bedrin said. DEP’s six regional offices have inspected 4,993 trucks hauling trash in Pennsylvania in 2005 and found 661 violations. These inspections are a priority to get unsafe trash trucks off the highways and improve compliance with DEP’s environmental regulations and the commonwealth’s traffic safety laws. For more information, visit DEP’s Web site at www.depweb.state.pa.us, Keyword: “DEP Targeting Trash.”