Residents living near Newby Island Resource Recovery Park, a large San Jose landfill and recycling complex, could see stricter scrutiny after the Bay Area Air District ordered the facility's operators to address air quality issues, strengthen monitoring, and reduce odors reaching nearby neighborhoods.
Here's what to know
According to NBC Bay Area, the order applies to a north San Jose site that includes both a landfill and a recycling center and is run by Republic Services subsidiaries International Disposal Corp. of California and Browning-Ferris Industries of California Inc.
Officials said the facility has produced hazardous gas pollution for years, leading to complaints from residents in San Jose, Milpitas, Fremont, and Newark.
In a 2024 study, the Bay Area Air District concluded that Newby Island was the main source of ongoing odor complaints and identified hydrogen sulfide as the primary pollutant causing the rotten-egg smell.
In the agency's release, Bay Area Air District Executive Officer Philip Fine said: "Families in the South Bay have lived with persistent odors and uncertainty about what is in the air near their homes. This order establishes enforceable deadlines, stronger monitoring and clear consequences if Newby Island fails to comply."
More background
After investigating, the district ordered the facility to install continuous monitors for hydrogen sulfide emissions.
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The order combines those requirements with other corrective actions and follows a long record of violations related to the site's operations.
What's being done?
Among the changes required by the air district, operators must install continuous emission monitors, use drones during landfill inspections to more effectively detect methane leaks, automate the gas collection system, and add air pollution monitors around the site's perimeter.
The district said failing to comply with the order could result in additional enforcement, along with separate fines for the violations that led to the abatement order.
The landfill operator said it intends to work with the district. Yessica del Rincon, a spokesperson for International Disposal Corp. of California, said the company appreciates the agency's emphasis on transparency and plans to comply with the order.
Del Rincon added: "IDCC will continue working constructively with regulators, residents and local stakeholders to meet those requirements."
Where can I learn more?
These articles add context to the Newby Island order, touching on other cases where pollution oversight, indoor air concerns, and environmental accountability have come under strain. They show how questions about enforcement and public trust can reach from local agencies to major companies and even everyday buying decisions.
• In Minnesota, state regulators faced backlash after failing to act against polluting companies for years.
• Consumers are learning which packaging claims matter before trusting fruit labels and online orders.
• At Inditex, carbon emissions increased after operational shifts at Zara's parent company.
Across these stories, stronger monitoring and clearer accountability keep coming up in environmental disputes. They also underscore how public pressure can influence what regulators and companies do next.
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