The state review panel found multiple Seneca County landfill license conditions unlawful or unreasonable and sent the case back to the local health district.
SENECA COUNTY, Ohio — The Ohio Environmental Review Appeals Commission has ruled that several conditions imposed by the Seneca County General Health District on WIN Waste Innovations’ landfill licenses were unlawful or unreasonable, marking another decision in the company’s favor in its dispute with county regulators.
In a decision issued Oct. 29, 2025, the commission reviewed license terms for the company’s solid-waste landfill at 12500 W. County Road 18 in Fostoria, covering 2023 and 2024. Among the findings:
Condition 3, prohibiting the facility from emitting odors that endanger public health or cause property damage, was ruled unlawful.Condition 10, requiring repair of ponding, erosion and leachate outbreaks within three hours of discovery, was found unreasonable.Condition 11, requiring daily railcar inspections and immediate remediation of leaks, was found unreasonable in part.Condition 23 (2023) / Condition 22 (2024), mandating annual reports on landfill space usage and waste tonnage, were found unreasonable.Condition 24 (2023) / Condition 23 (2024), granting access for compliance verification under R.C. Chapter 3704 and air-pollution rules, was found unlawful as to air-regulation access.
The commission remanded the 2023 and 2024 licenses to the health district for action consistent with this ruling and with a prior order issued Jan. 29, 2025.
Procedural status and prior actions
In December 2024, the Seneca County Board of Health issued a notice of intent to deny the landfill’s license. That action has not taken effect while related matters remain under appeal before the Commission and in court.
Recent inspections and violations
The decision follows months of back and forth between the company and the Seneca County General Health District.
In August, the health department issued a notice of violation citing what it described as “ongoing noncompliance issues,” including failure to control litter, maintain cover and implement dust control and access restrictions. The department said its findings came from inspections conducted between January and July.
WIN Waste disputed the allegations at the time, providing WTOL 11 with letters of compliance from the Ohio EPA showing no violations during 88 inspections over the same period. The company said the county’s findings were “technically unsound” and carried out by staff without required environmental certifications.
The Ohio EPA’s July compliance letter noted that six inspections covering solid waste, air and surface water operations found no violations and that the landfill was operating in compliance with state regulations.
Broader dispute and background
The licensing dispute dates to 2023, when the health district began attaching additional conditions to WIN Waste’s operating licenses. The company has argued the county’s add-ons exceeded what state and federal rules require.
In January, ERAC invalidated 15 other county-imposed conditions; with the Oct. 29 ruling, a total of 20 conditions have now been reversed, while other issues remain on appeal.
WIN Waste has said the facility is in “substantial compliance” with Ohio EPA requirements and points to more than 100 inspections without outstanding violations. The health district has maintained that its conditions were aimed at environmental protection and oversight.
WTOL 11 has requested comment from Seneca County Health Commissioner Julie Richards and is awaiting a response from her office.