The state Department of Environmental Protection has denied an application from Tri-County Landfill to reopen a landfill in southeastern Mercer County.

The DEP said the denial is based on the compliance history of other Vogel Holding’s subsidiaries, as well as local zoning issues. Tri-County is a subsidiary of Vogel Holding of Mars.

The landfill is in Pine and Liberty townships, which are near Grove City. The decision was announced Thursday.

“Environmental compliance should serve as the cornerstone of every company’s corporate philosophy seeking to do business in Pennsylvania,” Kelly Burch, director of DEP’s Northwest Regional Office, said in a statement.

Over the years, several public hearings by the DEP were held regarding the landfill. The most recent one was in January and several residents spoke against the landfill.

After public comments, the DEP evaluated the compliance past of Tri-County and two other related waste companies in Butler County that operate under Vogel Holding, Seneca Landfill and Vogel Disposal Services, as part of its final review of the permit application.

This review showed a history of non-compliance, documented in inspection records from 2003 to 2013.

Additionally, the permit application said the height of some of the trash at the landfill would be 160 feet. But, zoning restrictions in Liberty and Pine townships limit the height of structures to 40 feet.

The company previously operated a landfill at this location, but it closed in 1990. It currently operates a municipal waste transfer station at the site.

Tri-County Landfill submitted its most recent permit application for the construction and operation of the landfill in August 2004.

The company’s proposal for expanding landfill operations on its 99 acres included the excavation and relocation of waste from an old 44.5-acre unlined area to new lined disposal cells.

A call to Vogel Holding was not returned.

Representatives from Pine and Liberty townships could not be reached for comment.