In a 1 1/2 hour long West Easton Zoning Hearing Board (ZHB) meeting last night, the Board unanimously voted (4-0) that Triumvirate Environmental’s use of facilities located on Johnson Trucking property was not considered a transfer station, but rather, short-term storage. This has cleared the way for Triumvirate to begin operations.
I familiarized myself as best I could on Triumvirate Environmental before last night. Founded in 1988, it now dominates the U.S. Northeast in disposing of medical waste and is rated highly within the industry. The only negative report I could find involving their medical waste operations was a $17,250 fine issued by the DEP in September of 2011, when a check of a disposal facility found violations of improper stacking of containers, containers of different types being stored in proximity of each other without a dividing wall, and mislabeled containers.
On it’s face, the operation sounded like a transfer station, which our zoning doesn’t allow. Triumvirate’s representative, Joe Fazzio, Jr., explained the operation as, straight box trucks being brought to the dock and their contents transferred to 48′ or 53′ trailers ready to receive the containers carried by the box trucks. The trailers are then taken to a processing facility located in Jeanette, Pennsylvania, where the contents are shredded and decontaminated before going to a landfill. The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) requires the filled trailers to be moved within 72 hours of their being loaded in West Easton.
Mayor Gross, along with Councilmen DePaul and Nodoline were in attendance as members of the public. No other residents attended. Between the three of them asking questions as concerned residents with no official capacity, they covered most of the questions I intended to ask. Among them, the type of medical waste, which was a major concern of mine.
The concern was that there would be body parts or fluids among the waste. The testimony from Mr. Fazzio was that there would be none. The waste was the type consisting of gowns, gauze, linens, needles, and related items that medical staff discard into approved containers at their facilities. Any body fluids, such as blood in vials, would either be dried, or gelled (with use of an applicant) before transport.
The medical waste items are shipped in containers, mainly 28 gal., or 200 gal. sizes. These containers are sealed, recorded, stacked, and securely strapped within the trucks before they are transported. Approximately 4000 sq. feet of the facility is enclosed and will mainly be used for empty, sanitized container storage.
Mr. Fazzio further testified that he anticipates about 14 box trucks and 7 trailers to be arriving daily when the operation is in full swing, which could provide 2 or possibly 3 jobs to local residents wanting to assist in the transfer duties. The contents of two box trucks, collecting waste from New York, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey, would fill one empty trailer. Transfer of containers runs approximately 30 – 45 minutes for each box truck. Less time if the containers are the 200 gal. type that ride on casters.
The attorney representing the applicants presented evidence that the operation should be considered as a dock-to-dock loading operation. Something expected with an industry involved in trucking.
My only contention was that the operation of moving the containers from one truck to another was, in itself the definition of “transfer,” couldn’t hold much weight when our antiquated and still unrevised zoning book provides no definition of what is considered a “transfer facility” within its pages. My opinion of what constitutes “transfer” has little relevance if it isn’t defined within our own written ordinances. If challenged, would the courts agree with my opinion, weighing in the factors of the type of transfer being performed? Likely not, I surmised by the review of our own solicitor, if the ZHB denied the appeal.
The concessions offered by Triumvirate showed them willing to operate with the best interests of residents in mind.
1. They will meet with our fire chief to review safety precautions.
2. They will confine the travel of their trucks to Lehigh Drive.
3. Movement of containers from truck to truck will only be conducted from 7am – 10pm Monday thru Saturday, with Sunday movement only under exceptional circumstances that might be required to meet DEP regulations.
And, of course, they will meet all DEP regulations required for operation.
Disclaimer: On January 4, 2016, the owner of WestEastonPA.com began serving on the West Easton Council following an election. Postings and all content found on this website are the opinions of Matthew A. Dees and may not necessarily represent the opinion of the governing body for The Borough of West Easton.
