South Baltimore medical waste incinerator to shut down under $600K settlement after years of violations

BALTIMORE — A South Baltimore medical waste incinerator will shut down under a settlement with the state following years of pollution violations.

Curtis Bay Energy will also pay a $600,000 civil penalty under the settlement, which resolves a complaint filed by the Maryland Attorney General’s Office over multiple air pollution violations.

"This is a major win for a community overburdened by pollution," said Maryland Department of the Environment Secretary Serena McIlwain. “We won't accept operations that put public health and safety at risk and leave our most vulnerable communities paying the price.”

In 2023, the company's previous owners pleaded guilty to 40 criminal counts for improperly disposing of medical waste. The company was also ordered to pay a $1 million fine to the Maryland Clean Water Fund and another $750,000 for environmental projects in the Curtis Bay area.

Two people were also criminally charged, including former plant operations director Kenneth Jackson, who pleaded guilty to five counts. The case against Thomas Keefer is still pending.

Later that year, the Maryland Department of the Environment entered into another settlement with the facility that included a $132,500 penalty and required changes to how the company handled solid waste.

In March 2024, the Attorney General’s Office filed another complaint, alleging multiple air pollution violations. The state says additional violations have occurred since that complaint was filed.

Under the new consent decree, the facility will transition from incinerating medical waste to operating as a waste transfer station, with lower limits on the amount of waste it can accept.

The company must stop all incineration operations within 90 days after a modified refuse disposal permit is issued.

In a statement to WMAR, Maggie Clemmons, Curtis Bay Energy spokesperson, said, "Curtis Bay Energy has decided to cease incineration activities at its Baltimore facility. The incinerator is among the oldest waste treatment facilities in the U.S. and is at the end of its useful operating life. We are coordinating with local authorities on a safe, orderly wind-down of the facility. This decision reflects the market realities of transitioning away from incineration services for medical waste management. We will continue to seamlessly service our customers through our network of treatment facilities along the East Coast."

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