MALTBY — DTG Recycle faces a $3,389,000 fine for reportedly operating without required permits and violating state law in south Snohomish County.
A Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission investigation found between Jan. 1, 2023, and June 30, 2023, the recycling company transported 3,389 loads of residual solid waste to Snohomish County facilities, according to a press release Tuesday.
Each load violated state law requiring solid waste collection companies obtain proper certificates before operating, according to the investigation. Each violation is worth $1,000.
A company spokesperson disputed the findings Thursday.
“It’s disappointing that some staff at our state’s Utilities and Transportation Commission spent their Christmas Eve holiday targeting our state’s recycling industry and advancing the interests of the state’s garbage haulers,” spokesperson Mark Prentice wrote in an email. “This is a misguided action based on incorrect information, and DTG Recycle will be filing a Motion to Dismiss in the coming days.”
The multi-million dollar recommendation comes after years of complaints about the company, including county fines for building permit issues and community grievances about pollution, noise and traffic.
DTG acquired the facility on Yew Way near Maltby in January 2023 from United Recycling, which had already accrued a history of violations. Snohomish County Planning and Development Services had found United Recycling constructed and occupied buildings without proper permits.
United Recycling unsuccessfully appealed the violations and passed the unpermitted buildings and accompanying violations along to DTG.
In 2023, the county and DTG went back and forth about acquiring the proper permits.
DTG disputed the violations, but Snohomish County Hearing Examiner Peter Camp ruled in May 2023 the company could no longer operate because of its failure to obtain proper permits.
DTG requested a reconsideration, but the hearing examiner upheld his original ruling. However, Camp extended the company’s deadlines to comply with county code.
DTG had to remove remove buildings or submit permits by winter 2023. The company also had two years to remove equipment and stockpiles of materials.
The issue with building permits hasn’t been the first time the county has tried to correct the company’s operations.
In 2021, the hearing examiner issued DTG a $1,500 fine because the company was dumping residual reclamation waste, or non-recyclable waste, through Snohomish County Solid Waste Management.
In 2023, DTG disposed of over 146,000 tons of waste in Snohomish County, according to a summary of the county’s annual residual reclamation waste.
But DTG didn’t have a waste disposal permit, according to the Utilities and Transportation Commission. In 2017, the company received a Common Carrier Permit, but that doesn’t allow DTG to do solid waste collection and disposal.
Commission staff communicated with DTG about the violations with clear instructions on becoming compliant and attached an application for a solid waste certificate, according to a press release Tuesday.
But DTG didn’t apply for the permit until July 2024.
Now, commission staff is recommending state regulators fine DTG and order the company to cease and desist unauthorized operations.
A hearing will be scheduled for commission staff to formally hear the complaint, UTC spokesperson Tiffany Johnson wrote in an email.
A prehearing conference is scheduled for Feb. 6 for commission staff to consider requests for intervention and determine a path forward.
Eliza Aronson: 425-339-3434; eliza.aronson@heraldnet.com; X: @ElizaAronson. Eliza’s stories are supported by the Herald’s Environmental and Climate Reporting Fund.
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