Alabama landfill operator files for bankruptcy after forced closure by state

Less than two weeks after the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) ordered the closure of the Cherokee Industrial Landfill (CIL) in Colbert County, Alabama, its operator, CWI Enterprises, has filed for bankruptcy.

The Tri-Cities Waste Disposal Authority asked a Colbert County circuit court judge to remove CWI, which is based in Cherokee, Alabama, as the primary operator of the CIL. A hearing was scheduled for March 8, however, the hearing was suspended indefinitely after CWI filed for bankruptcy March 7.

As reported by The Times Daily, the original cease and desist order stated that the landfill could not reopen until its leachate levels were reduced in landfill cells and storage tanks. ADEM also requested that CWI ensure that waste is covered with an “earthen cover.” Per ADEM regulations, landfills must cover the waste with at least six inches of compacted soil.

According to a Colbert County judge, all legal proceedings will be suspended until after the filing has been resolved, or until the stay is lifted.

Court records show a meeting with creditors is scheduled for April 11, WHNT reports.