TIFFIN, Ohio – The Seneca County Board of Health has voted unanimously to appeal the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) approval of a landfill expansion by WIN Waste Innovations in Seneca County.
The Board’s legal counsel is authorized to challenge all permits granted by the Ohio EPA on Sept. 11, 2024, which allow WIN Waste to expand 94 of the 218 acres requested. This decision has garnered additional support from both Fostoria City Council and the Seneca County Commissioners, who passed resolutions backing the appeal.
The landfill expansion required separate permits from the Ohio EPA’s divisions of Materials and Waste Management, Air Pollution Control, and Surface Water.
Dr. Clay Wolph, president of the Seneca County Board of Health, emphasized that no taxpayer funds will be used to finance the appeal. “Attorney and legal costs related to this appeal are covered by the waste disposal fees that WIN Waste is required to pay by state law,” Wolph said. “These funds are designated to address waste disposal issues in the county, including environmental concerns caused by the landfill.”
Wolph also highlighted that many of the legal costs incurred by the health district stem from what he described as “frivolous cases” filed by WIN Waste Innovations. These cases, according to Wolph, are designed to prevent the Board from imposing conditions on the landfill’s operations aimed at safeguarding the community’s health.
“The community would be better served if WIN Waste spent its resources on improving the landfill’s operations for safety, rather than fighting our efforts to improve their environmental record,” Wolph stated.
He added, “The health district remains committed to providing oversight and imposing necessary conditions on the landfill’s permit. We will continue to apply local control to ensure public safety if the Ohio EPA refuses to address public concerns.”
