Illinois EPA initiates illegal dump clean up on forest preserve in Will County

JOLIET  - Continuing to remove illegally dumped waste and to protect the environment from the senseless acts of fly dumpers, Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (Illinois EPA) Director Doug Scott today announced that the Agency will begin removal of illegally dumped metal waste located at 1126 McKay St., in Joliet, IL.  The clean up, which is located just south of the intersection of Woodruff Road and McKay Street began  May 19, and weather permitting, will finish June 18. 

 

Over the next month crews will work hard to remove approximately 120 tons of metal and construction and demolition debris, which have become covered by vegetation over the years. 

 

The cleanup is being conducted as part of the I-RID (Illinois Removes Illegal Dumps) Program, which continues to remove environmental hazards and protect Illinois' beautiful landscape.

 

"Illegal open dumping around Illinois can potentially pose health and safety hazards to both people and the environment, but the I-RID program has begun to tackle those environmental eyesores," said Illinois EPA Director Scott.  "This is the first time in the 37-year history of the Illinois EPA that we have had significant state funds to address orphan open dumps that have festered for years, and I am grateful to Governor Blagojevich and the General Assembly for providing additional funding and authority to Illinois EPA to clean up these messes."

 

I-RID was launched by the Illinois EPA in the fall of 2006, after the Governor and Legislature had previously authorized the first significant funding in the agency's history to clean up illegal open dumps where responsible parties could not be found or practically required to do cleanups.  The program also gives the Illinois EPA Director additional authority to seal sites where there is a potential risk for harm to human health or the environment.

 

 

With the funding, the Illinois EPA can hire contractors to clean up open dumps where responsible parties cannot be located or where various specific imminent threats, such as fire, are present.  The new law also provides for permitting and regulation of the disposal of clean construction or demolition debris, such as in former quarries, and gives the Illinois EPA Director additional authority to seal sites where there is a potential risk for harm to human health or the environment.

 

Working with local and county officials to identify candidates for I-RID cleanups, Illinois EPA has cleaned up sites ranging from the tip of Southern Illinois near Cave-in-Rock to rural central and eastern Illinois and urban locations in the Chicago metro area.

 

The Illinois EPA will periodically inspect the site to ensure that the problem does not recur, and has the authority to issue administrative citations to violators of this and other provisions of the Environmental Protection Act.