HARRISBURG Rules for waste haulers take effect

A company running an illegal truck can be fined $10,000 for its first violation.
HARRISBURG (AP) -- Requirements that tens of thousands of waste disposal trucks in Pennsylvania meet state environmental and highway safety standards before dumping at landfills go into effect today.
The requirements, which were part of the Waste Transportation Safety Act signed into law June 29 by Gov. Mark S. Schweiker, dictate that all garbage disposal companies must register their trucks with the state.
Already, waste haulers pay at least $7.25 per ton in "tipping" fees to dump at Pennsylvania landfills and mounted a court challenge over a regulation giving state officials broad powers to keep new landfills from opening in Pennsylvania, or established ones from expanding.
As of Friday, 3,000 companies had registered more than 20,000 trucks, a spokesman for the state Department of Environmental Protection said.
To register, each truck or tractor-trailer combination must provide proof that it has complied with state and federal safety and environmental codes. Registration fee is $100.
A landfill caught allowing an unregistered truck to dump on its premises will be charged $2,000.
If a truck is caught operating without state registration, the company can be fined for the first violation up to $10,000.
Fines for the second violation can range up to $25,000 and involve suspension of a company's license to do business in Pennsylvania for up to one year.
All fees go toward enforcement costs.