Bay Area Air District files lawsuit against Martinez-based landfill for pollution
MARTINEZ — The Bay Area Air District filed a lawsuit Thursday against a Martinez-based landfill company, alleging the company harmed the environment by violating state and local air regulations multiple times.
The lawsuit against Acme Fill Corp., the owners of Acme Landfill on Waterbird Way in Martinez, said the company illegally emitted higher-than-legal levels of methane and other organic compounds from the landfill. Attorneys filed the complaint in Contra Costa County Superior Court.
The allegations stem from an inspection of the facility the Air District said it conducted on Aug. 24, 2023.
According to the district, the inspection showed that the landfill’s gas-collection system leaked, as did four spots on the landfill surface. In the suit, the district said all of the landfill surface leaks exceeded legal emission limits.
One leak measured 31 times more than the allowable threshold, and another was 23 times the allowable threshold, the district said.
A message left with Acme Fill Corp. was not returned immediately.
“Methane is a potent greenhouse gas that contributes significantly to climate change,” Air District executive officer Dr. Philip Fine said in a statement. “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.”
According to the district, the pollutants contribute to smog and other particle pollution, the kind of which can create Spare the Air conditions. The district said the pollutants also are linked to respiratory and cardiovascular problems.