SAINT CLAIR, Pa. — The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection has scheduled a new public hearing on a proposed permit modification involving wastewater generated by the Blythe Recycling and Demolition Site (BRADS) Landfill in Schuylkill County.
The public hearing will be held Tuesday, September 15, 2026, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Saint Clair Area School District gymnasium, 227 South Mill Street in Saint Clair.
The hearing concerns a Major Permit Modification application submitted for BRADS Landfill Permit No. 101679. The landfill is located at 1061 Burma Road in Blythe Township.
According to DEP, BRADS is requesting approval to use truck hauling as the primary method of handling leachate generated at the landfill.
What Is Landfill Leachate?
Leachate is the liquid produced when water passes through waste inside a landfill and picks up dissolved or suspended materials.
Because the liquid may contain contaminants, it must be collected and properly treated or disposed of in accordance with environmental regulations.
September Hearing Replaces Previously Postponed Meeting
The September hearing replaces a public hearing that had originally been scheduled for August 4, 2026.
DEP announced ahead of that meeting that it would be postponed and rescheduled for a later date.
The newly announced September 15 hearing will give residents, local officials and other interested parties an opportunity to provide comments regarding the landfill's permit modification application.
DEP said comments provided during the hearing will be recorded and considered as part of the agency's review.
BRADS Seeking Approval for Truck Hauling
The current application would make hauling leachate by truck the primary method of managing the liquid generated at the BRADS facility.
Truck transportation of leachate has already been used at the landfill, although the current permit application would formally establish it as the primary means of handling the material.
BRADS has transported millions of gallons of leachate from the landfill to off-site wastewater treatment facilities since operations began.
A pipeline was also constructed to connect the landfill's leachate system with the Schuylkill Valley Sewer Authority system, but an agreement allowing discharge into that system had not been finalized when the latest permit modification was submitted.
BRADS Landfill Permit Renewed Through 2035
The latest permit proceeding comes only months after DEP approved a renewal of the BRADS Landfill operating permit.
BRADS, a construction and demolition waste landfill located east of Saint Clair, began operating in 2019.
The landfill applied in 2024 to renew its solid waste operating permit for another 10 years.
As part of that review process, DEP held a public hearing in Saint Clair in May 2024 where residents and local officials were given the opportunity to provide testimony.
DEP later held another public meeting regarding the landfill as the agency reviewed both the operating permit renewal and a separate request from BRADS to increase the amount of waste it is permitted to accept each day.
BRADS Has Also Sought Increase in Daily Waste Limit
Separate from the leachate application, BRADS has sought permission to increase its maximum daily waste acceptance rate from 1,500 tons per day to 3,000 tons per day.
That request has been the subject of additional DEP review and public concern.
The September 15 hearing specifically concerns the landfill's leachate management application and not the proposed increase in daily waste tonnage.
DEP Renewed Operating Permit Earlier This Year
On April 30, 2026, DEP renewed the BRADS operating permit, allowing the facility to continue operating through January 20, 2035.
The renewed permit included additional conditions related to landfill gas and odor control, groundwater monitoring, litter control, traffic management and leachate records.
Odor and leachate management have been among the issues raised by residents and regulators during previous proceedings involving the landfill.
DEP and BRADS Entered Consent Agreement
DEP also entered into a Consent Order and Agreement with BRADS in April 2026 involving previous violations cited by the agency.
The violations involved issues including odor, litter, intermediate cover, leachate management and vegetation at the landfill.
The agreement included a civil penalty and requirements intended to address the violations identified by DEP.
Residents Can Speak at September 15 Hearing
DEP is encouraging members of the public to participate in the September 15 hearing.
The hearing is scheduled from 5:30 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. at the Saint Clair Area School District gymnasium.
Those providing testimony will have their comments entered into the official record for DEP's consideration as it reviews the Major Permit Modification application.
According to DEP, oral and written comments receive equal consideration during the permit review process.
The application remains under review, and the scheduling of the public hearing does not mean DEP has approved the requested modification.
Public Hearing Information
Date: Tuesday, September 15, 2026
Time: 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Location: Saint Clair Area School District Gymnasium, 227 South Mill Street, Saint Clair, PA 17970
Subject: Major Permit Modification for the Blythe Recycling and Demolition Site (BRADS) Landfill
