Already fighting a health agency’s order to stop noise pollution from its Bristol trash-to-energy plant, Reworld last week was hit with a lawsuit claiming it intimidated a competitor and wrongfully tore down that company’s smaller trash incinerator in Wallingford. The suit by Richard Antonucci Jr.’s Country Holding LLC accuses Reworld affiliate companies of using environmental protection rules as cover for demolishing the out-of-service Wallingford plant, even though it knew Country Holding planned to restore it to operations. Country Holding claims it was the victim of a conspiracy by Reworld affiliates to keep it from breaking into the trash-burning industry in Connecticut, which is dominated by Reworld and New Hampshire-based Wheelabrator Technologies. The suit claims the sale agreement specifically acknowledged that Country Holding planned to operate as a transfer station only temporarily; the longer-term plan was to renovate the incinerator equipment and restore trash-burning operations.
CT trash-burning plant facing violation notice over noise hit with $450 million lawsuit