Illinois EPA Refers GMI Recycling Services to Attorney General for Enforcement

SPRINGFIELD – Illinois Environmental Protection Agency Director Lisa Bonnett has referred an enforcement action to the Illinois Attorney General’s office against GMI Recycling Services as the result of a tire fire in Ford Heights. The Agency is seeking an order requiring the company to maintain official fire department personnel to provide 24-hour monitoring at the tire shred pile, as well as maintain an armed law-enforcement officer to provide 24-hour monitoring at the facility gate until the fire is deemed completely extinguished.

GMI Recycling Services is the owner/operator of a tire cleanup site located at 1703 Cottage Grove Avenue in Ford Heights, Illinois.  The company has an enforceable Tire Removal Agreement to remove piles of tire shreds from the property.  A fire broke out on two of the remaining three tire shred piles on the property resulting in an ongoing response from local fire departments and government agencies. The fire is under control, but flare-ups are continuing to occur.

On May 24, 2016, Illinois EPA received a report of the tire fire at the GMI facility.  Illinois EPA responded to the fire and began gathering information from the property owner and onsite fire chief.  Multiple fire departments from the area were participating in extinguishing the fire.  Illinois EPA has coordinated a joint response between agencies, including Illinois Emergency Management Agency, Illinois Office of State Fire Marshal and U.S. EPA.  Metropolitan Water Reclamation District representatives are also on site with tanker trucks to haul away fire water and conduct water quality monitoring.

Illinois EPA requested assistance from U.S. EPA for air quality and water quality monitoring in the vicinity of the fire as residents and a middle school are located near the facility. Monitoring began on May 24.  Illinois EPA plans to use a Thermal Imaging Camera provided by the Steger Fire Department to seek out hot spots in the pile, so they can be exposed and watered.  Although the fire is under control, it must be monitored on a 24-hour basis until further notice, which could be a week or more.  The site has been secured with 24-hour surveillance by the Cook County Sherriff’s Office and GMI personnel as well as local fire departments.

In the referral, the Illinois EPA cited violations of the Illinois Environmental Protection Act, including causing, threatening, or allowing the discharge of contaminants so as to cause or tend to cause air pollution; causing or allowing the open burning of any refuse; and causing, threatening, or allowing the discharge of contaminants so as to cause or tend to cause water pollution.  To sustain local resources, Illinois EPA is seeking monetary assistance to allow the necessary monitoring to continue.  Illinois EPA representatives will also continue to monitor the situation.