CUYAHOGA COUNTY — After a 5-year legal battle focused on an illegal landfill, an Ohio recycling center has agreed to settle, according to Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost.
Baumann’s Recycling Center, based in Cuyahoga County, will pay $1.5 million to settle the environmental lawsuit.
Yost said the recycling center operated the illegal landfill for nearly a decade.
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“I am committed to protecting Ohio’s environment from unlawful contamination. As an avid outdoorsman, I find it to be imperative that we leave a limited footprint for future generations,” Yost said.
The case against Baumann’s Recycling started in January 2019 after Yost sued the business for allegedly dumping solid waste, disposing of construction and demolition debris, and several state fire code violations.
An investigation by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency indicates that the company was not recycling construction and demolition debris properly, according to Yost.
The recycling center was allegedly operating as an unlicensed landfill for many years, collecting nearly 200,000 cubic yards of waste and creating environmental and public health hazards that impacted surrounding communities.
In June 2019, a court order required Baumann’s to immediately begin clean-up on the site.
The order imposed strict quotas on debris removal and measures to monitor fire hazards and air pollution.
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To date, more than 50,000 cubic yards of decomposing debris has been removed, according to Yost.
The settlement agreement includes a $1.5 million civil penalty and provisions for processing remaining debris, removing materials, implementing fire-control measures, and assessing noncompliance penalties.
“This agreement underscores our commitment to upholding environmental standards and holding accountable those who jeopardize the well-being of our communities and residents,” Yost said. “My office, along with our partners at Ohio EPA, will continue to monitor compliance to make sure that Baumann’s Recycling finishes the cleanup – completely and expediently.”
Yost’s office filed a consent order in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court outlining the agreement, which is subject to the approval of Judge Kelly Ann Gallagher.
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