At the request of New York State environmental officials, Pennsylvania DEP secretary David E. Hess said the state will extend emergency procedures to handle trash expected to arrive at state landfills and incinerators in the wake of last month's terrorist attack in New York City.
"New York state environmental officials have told us that increased security inspections of vehicles moving in and out of New York City could result in delays in trash trucks arriving at their disposal destinations," Hess said. "For that reason we will allow Pennsylvania facilities to accept waste outside of their normal operating hours."
Hess said emergency trash-handling procedures were put in place Sept. 21 and expired Sept. 30. They have been extended until Oct. 15. DEP staff have been assigned to each of the 15 facilities that requested emergency procedures to enforce all environmental laws and requirements.
