Curtis Bay Energy will stop burning medical waste at its South Baltimore facility under a new settlement with Maryland. The company will also pay a $600,000 civil penalty after repeated air pollution violations, reports Baltimore Chronicle.
The settlement resolves a state complaint filed in March 2024. Maryland regulators alleged excessive emissions, visible pollution and other operational problems at the Hawkins Point facility.
Curtis Bay Energy must end incineration
Under the consent decree, the plant will transition from medical waste incineration to a waste transfer station.
Incineration must stop within 90 days after Maryland issues a modified refuse disposal permit. State officials expect the broader transition to take several months.
The agreement includes several major changes:
- Curtis Bay Energy will pay a $600,000 civil penalty.
- Medical waste incineration will permanently end.
- The site may continue operating as a transfer station.
- The amount of waste accepted at the facility will be substantially reduced.
The new operating model removes the plant’s authorization to burn medical waste. It also lowers the site’s permitted waste capacity.
Years of environmental violations preceded the shutdown
The latest agreement follows several enforcement actions involving Curtis Bay Energy.
| Year | Action |
|---|---|
| 2023 | Company pleaded guilty to 40 criminal counts |
| 2023 | $1 million Clean Water Fund fine imposed |
| 2023 | $750,000 ordered for local environmental projects |
| 2023 | Separate $132,500 settlement reached |
| 2024 | Maryland filed an air pollution complaint |
| 2026 | $600,000 settlement requires incineration to end |
Maryland’s 2023 criminal case involved improper treatment and handling of medical waste. Investigators found waste was sometimes insufficiently incinerated before disposal.
The 2024 complaint documented emissions above permitted limits and visible unpermitted pollution. Regulators also cited an incident involving a fire.
What Curtis Bay Energy says about the closure
Company spokesperson Maggie Clemmons said the Baltimore incinerator had reached the end of its useful operating life.
Curtis Bay Energy said it is coordinating an orderly shutdown with local authorities. The company also cited changing market conditions for medical waste treatment.
Maryland Environment Secretary Serena McIlwain called the settlement a significant result for a community heavily affected by pollution.
The facility has operated at 3200 Hawkins Point Road for decades. It has been described by Maryland officials as one of the country’s largest medical waste incinerators.
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