Two landfills in western Arizona are facing increased scrutiny, and will face a total of $58,000 in penalties after a number of violations were noted at the sites earlier this month.

Both landfills, one owned by Allied Waste Industries Inc. and the other owned by a subsidiary of Allied Waste, have agreed to pay the penalties levied against them, according to officials with the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) and the Arizona Attorney General’s Office.

Peg Mulloy, spokeswoman for a parent company of Allied Waste, says that the violations in question occurred two years ago, and the problems have since been remedied.

"We believe we were doing within what our permits allowed in both situations," Mulloy said. "The inspector didn’t believe that was the case. We accept that fact and have corrected the situations."

Copper Mountain Landfill, a subsidiary of Allied Waste near Wellton, will pay an $11,000 penalty. During an inspection many months ago, contaminated soil and petroleum oil were noted at the site. Meanwhile, Allied Waste Industries’ La Paz County Landfill, located near Parker, must pay a $47,000 penalty. An inspection found exposed solid waste, contaminated soil, and three exposed bags of asbestos. Exposure to asbestos can cause lung cancer and mesothelioma, a rare but aggressive cancer of the lungs, abdominal cavity, or lining of the heart.

“This hazardous management of solid waste put employees and the community at risk but the company has remedied the situation,” ADEQ director Benjamin H. Grumbles said.

Attorney General Terry Goddard added: "Any company handling solid waste needs to rigorously comply with state standards to protect the health of our citizens and our environment. Among Arizona’s greatest assets are its natural beauty and quality of life. All of us – individuals and businesses alike – have a responsibility to protect those assets for future generations."

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