Maryland AG Filed Civil Complaint against Recycling Companies over Open Dumping Allegations

JANUARY 24, 2023

In January 2023, Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown filed a civil complaint against World Recycling Company and a group of associated recycling companies over allegations of open dumps at the companies’ facilities, which can cause public health hazards, including water contamination, fires, and vermin, according to the complaint. The AG sought civil penalties and an injunction against the companies’ open dumping practices, which were “disproportionately affecting overburdened communities and communities of color,” according to the press release.

In December 2023, AG Brown announced a settlement with World Recycling Company over the allegations. Under the agreement, the company must “pay a $200,000 civil penalty, remove any
accumulated solid wastes at its properties, implement an environmental remediation plan at its Baltimore City facility, and improve its operational procedures.”