HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania, October 9, 2007 (ENS) - The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection has fined Fredrick Thebes and his sons, Christopher Thebes and Douglas Thebes a hefty $5.7 million for illegally disposing waste on their property in Centre Township, Perry County.

The three men are the owners of Fred D. Thebes & Sons Inc. and Dynamite Disposal Inc., a trash collection service that was the primary waste hauler for Perry County.

"The penalty is based on the amount of waste that was dumped illegally and intentionally on the Thebes' property," said DEP's Southcentral Regional Director Rachel Diamond. "The Thebes displayed a deliberate intention to use their property as an illegal landfill."

"I think it's safe to say it's one of the biggest amounts ever handed down for trash dumping," said DEP spokesman John Repetz.

In May 2006, DEP staffers received several complaints of burning activity and what appeared to be a dumpsite on Thebes' property.

Flying over the property, DEP inspectors found three large trenches, one measuring 12 feet long and 20 feet deep, containing garbage and the distinctive blue bags used by Perry County residents to dispose of garbage.

On November 15, 2006, workers with the DEP and the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General excavated multiple sites on the Thebes property.

Based on that search, and another search conducted in March, the DEP estimated that up to 15,150 tons of solid waste had been dumped at the Thebes site, in addition to the three trenches discovered in May 2006.

The department filed a complaint in the Perry County Court of Common Pleas citing the illegal transportation and disposal of solid waste and ordered the company to cease hauling operations by December 31, 2006.

On May 4, 2007, the department issued an administrative order to the Thebes requiring the owners to clean up the property. To date, the Thebes have not complied with the order.

In June, the state attorney general charged Frederick Thebes with two felony criminal counts of violating the state's clean streams law, and seven misdemeanor counts of violating the solid waste management act.

Douglas and Christopher Thebes were each charged with seven counts of unlawful conduct under the solid waste management act, which are third-degree misdemeanors.

DEP says the Thebes property could become a health and environmental hazard. DEP said in court documents, "As long as the waste remains buried in unlined trenches, it will continue to create the risk of contamination to the groundwater."

Copyright Environment News Service (ENS) 2007. All rights reserved.