Department of Justice Settles Environmental Case Against Barron County Businessman

MADISON - Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen announced today that his office has filed and settled an environmental enforcement action against Bradley Sutton of Chetek, Wisconsin.  Mr. Sutton is the owner of Kleen Air Disposal, a retail service and recycling facility located in Barron County, Wisconsin.  The complaint states that his business accepted for recycling televisions and he buried at least 162 of them at his former property rather than recycling them.  The complaint charges that Mr. Sutton's burial of the televisions sets, which remained on the site from the summer of 2007 until he removed them during the summer of 2009, constituted the operation of a solid waste disposal facility.  Mr. Sutton was also charged with failing to determine if the televisions contained a hazardous waste. 

Barron County Circuit Court Judge Babbitt approved the State's settlement with Mr. Sutton.  The Court's Order calls for Mr. Sutton to pay $12,000 in forfeitures and costs.  Mr. Sutton had previously removed the television sets and cleaned up the burial area in response to a demand from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

"Wisconsin law requires businesses to recycle discarded electronics. My office will continue to work with the DNR to encourage recycling and prosecute those businesses that unlawfully shortcut sound business and environmental practices to save money while gaining a competitive advantage over lawfully operated enterprises," said Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen.

The case was investigated by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and Assistant Attorney General Steven Tinker prosecuted the case.