Hazleton waste-transfer proposal faces new DEP review questions

A proposed waste-transfer facility in Hazleton remains under review after the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection identified technical deficiencies in the application and gave the applicant 60 calendar days to respond.

The project, proposed by North East Waste Systems, would be located at 728 South Church Street in the City of Hazleton. The DEP project page, updated July 8, 2026, says the application remains under review and has not been approved.

What is proposed

The facility would receive municipal solid waste and construction-and-demolition waste before transferring those materials into trailer trucks for delivery to permitted disposal facilities. The proposed maximum waste acceptance rate is up to 500 tons per day.

Hazleton is designated as an Environmental Justice community, so DEP is applying enhanced public-participation requirements during the review. The project has also been the subject of local planning proceedings and a public meeting where residents asked about traffic, operating hours, possible expansion and the facility’s oversight.

What DEP is asking the applicant to clarify

In a July 7, 2026, technical deficiency letter, DEP said the application needs additional or corrected information in several areas. The agency requested clarification about whether the site already has a highway-occupancy permit and whether PennDOT requires additional traffic studies or permit updates.

DEP also identified a discrepancy involving proposed hours. One portion of the application listed waste-receipt hours beginning at 5 a.m., while a zoning hearing board decision referenced weekday operations beginning at 7 a.m. The applicant was asked to explain and correct the discrepancy.

Other requests involve the handling and potential impacts of asbestos-containing waste, missing compliance-history information, updated financial-bonding documentation, environmental-review follow-up, emergency contact information and annual review requirements for the radiation-protection plan.

The letter also asks the applicant to provide a waste-analysis and classification plan if asbestos-containing waste would be accepted at the facility.

What the 60-day deadline means

The deadline is a response requirement, not a permit-approval date. North East Waste Systems must address the significant deficiencies or explain why existing application materials should be considered sufficient. DEP warned that failure to respond could lead to denial of the application.

Even if the applicant submits a complete response, DEP would still need to evaluate the revised materials before deciding whether the permit can move forward. The July 7 letter does not constitute a permit denial, and it does not make a final finding that the proposed facility is unsafe.

What Hazleton residents should watch next

The next major step is the applicant’s response to DEP, followed by another agency review. Residents should also watch for additional DEP public-participation notices, municipal planning records and any updates concerning traffic access, operating hours, waste streams and emergency procedures.

For now, the project is an application under regulatory review. It is not an operating facility, and the proposed 500-ton daily capacity should not be treated as an actual or guaranteed volume.

Sources

• Pennsylvania DEP North East Waste Systems project page
• DEP July 7, 2026 technical deficiency letter
• Times Leader report on the Hazleton proposal