Texas filed a lawsuit against a wind turbine recycling company, alleging it illegally dumped thousands of turbine blades and parts across the state.
Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton announced Thursday that the state is suing Global Fiberglass Solutions, Inc. and several affiliated entities. According to the lawsuit, the company was contracted by multiple firms to break down and recycle wind turbine components, but instead dumped roughly 3,000 turbine blades — or 487,000 cubic yards of solid waste — at two disposal sites.
“Illegal disposal of wind turbines hurts our land and will never be permitted under my watch,” Paxton said in a statement. “Just because the radical left calls something a ‘green industry’ does not give any company a free pass to harm Texas countryside, break our laws, and leave Texans to deal with the negative impacts.” (RELATED: Greenies And Democrats At Each Other’s Throats As Climate Change Talking Point Evaporates)
SWEETWATER, TEXAS – OCTOBER 04: In an aerial view, discarded wind turbine blades are seen in a field next to the Sweetwater Cemetery on, October 04, 2023 in Sweetwater, Texas. (Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
Under Texas law, recycling facilities must process at least 75% of the material they receive each year to avoid being classified as waste disposal sites. State officials allege Global Fiberglass Solutions has never met that threshold since beginning operations in 2017.
Furthermore, the company allegedly signed an “Agreed Order” with the state in 2022, pledging to stop accepting waste and to obtain the required permits. Investigators claim Global violated that order by continuing to accept new shipments and ultimately abandoning the disposal sites altogether.
The attorney general’s office is seeking civil penalties ranging from $50 to $25,000 per day for each violation, and says total penalties could exceed $1 million.
Global Fiberglass Solution did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.
Local residents had raised concerns for years about the abandoned turbine parts, warning that the piles sit as dens for rattlesnakes and breeding grounds for mosquitoes.
Wind turbine blades are typically made from a composite of fiberglass, wood and plastics, which are difficult to recycle. Researchers estimate more than 40 million metric tons of turbine waste could accumulate in landfills worldwide by 2050.
Countries across Europe that heavily invested in wind energy are now confronting growing volumes of discarded turbine components. One town in Scotland is struggling with blade waste, while countries such as Germany, Spain, and Italy have been forced to invest in recycling after committing to large-scale wind expansion.
Europe will need to dismantle roughly 14,000 wind turbines by 2030, leaving it with 44,000 to 66,000 tons of unrecyclable blade waste, according to WindEurope.
While the Biden administration strongly promoted wind development, the Trump administration has moved to rein in the heavily subsidized industry. In July, the Department of the Interior announced it would end “preferential treatment” for the wind industry, and in December, it paused leases for five large offshore wind projects, citing national security concerns.
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