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Columbia man charged with illegally dumping hazardous waste

Liquid runoff dumped into Richland County creek on multiple occasions
Credit: Google Maps

A Columbia man working for an environmental company offering hazardous waste disposal services illegally dumped liquid runoff, or "leachate," into a Richland County creek on multiple occasions, according to an indictment brought by the US Attorney's Office.

Michael Greene, 44, has been charged by a federal grand jury with a knowing violation of the Clean Water Act.

On multiple occasions in mid-2017, rather than transport liquid runoff from solid waste at an Eastover landfill to the Florence Wastewater Management facility, Greene instead illegally dumped the leachate into Leesburg Branch Creek near McCords Ferry Road in Richland County.

Leesburg Branch Creek runs into Murray Pond and, eventually, into the Wateree River via Colonels Creek.

Greene faces a maximum penalty of three years in federal prison and a potential fine up to $250,000.

The US Environmental Agency, SC Department of Health and Environmental Control and the SC Department of Natural Resources investigated the case.

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