Pennsylvania Trash Dumper Fined 5 Million

Pennsylvania Trash Dumper Fined 5 Million



October 2007

 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." 

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