Dive Brief:

• The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has sued the Northwest Iowa Area Solid Waste Agency for alleged environmental violations and illegally dumping trash.
• The lawsuit, filed by the state Attorney General's Office, alleges that the landfill built landfill cells and began taking in waste prior to obtaining the necessary state permits.
• The DNR alleges that the landfill discarded 300,000 tons of waste into cells without a liner or leachate collection system in place.
•  

Dive Insight:

Inspectors uncovered the violations during a July 2012 visit. ​Civil penalties are being sought in the amount of $5,000 each day per violation in addition to a permanent injunction which prohibits illegal dumping. No date has been set for court hearings at this time.