Martinez landfill company slapped with lawsuit over harmful emissions

(KRON) — A company that owns a landfill in Martinez has been hit with a lawsuit by a local government agency alleging the landfill violated state and local air quality regulations. The lawsuit, filed by the Bay Area Air District, was filed against the Acme Fill Corp.

BAAD alleges that Acme’s Martinez landfill illegally emitted “high levels of methane and other compounds.” The complaint, which was filed Thursday in Contra Costa Superior Court, seeks monetary penalties for what the district calls “multiple violations of state and local air quality regulations.”

The lawsuit comes on the heels of a compliance inspection conducted by the Air District on Aug. 24, 2023. That inspection, the district said, revealed that the landfill’s gas collection system was leaking.

The inspection also revealed four landfill surface leaks, all of which exceeded legal emission limits. One such leak measured 23 times over the allowable threshold. Another of the leaks was 31 times over the allowable threshold.

“Methane is a potent greenhouse gas that contributes significantly to climate change,” said Philip Fine, executive director of the Air District. “We take our enforcement responsibilities seriously, and when facilities fail to comply with air quality regulations, we are prepared to pursue legal action to ensure violators are held accountable.”

The pollutants involved in the case, according to the Air District, include methane, “a potent greenhouse gas, and other organic compounds.”

“These pollutants contribute to smog formation and particle pollution and are linked to respiratory and cardiovascular harm,” the Air District said.