Illinois EPA Refers Metal Recycling Systems, Inc. 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 Metal Recycling Systems, Inc., for violations of the Illinois Environmental Protection Act and Illinois Pollution Control Board regulations. The Agency is seeking immediate injunctive relief to protect public health and welfare.

Metal Recycling Systems, Inc. operates a non-ferrous metals separation process and metal shredder. The facility is located at 3000 West 139th Street in Blue Island, Illinois in Cook County. The facility was the subject of a violation notice issued by the Agency on April 2, 2014. Since that time, additional complaints were received by the Illinois EPA resulting in an additional inspection of the property and the referral seeking immediate injunctive relief.

The Illinois EPA inspection observed objects that had allegedly been ejected from the Metal Recycling Systems’ shredder onto adjacent property beyond the facilities boundaries. The Illinois EPA also observed damage to a nearby structure allegedly caused by an object ejected from the shredder. The Illinois EPA believes conditions at the facility have changed since the Violation Notice was issue in early April in such a manner that there is an imminent threat to public health and welfare.

In the referral, the Agency cited violations of common law public nuisance related to the ejection of objects from the shredder, allowing emissions of particulate matter to extend beyond the facility boundaries and other record-keeping and reporting violations. The Illinois EPA asked the Attorney General to obtain immediate injunctive relief and for Metal Recycling to immediately cease all operations at the Blue Island facility until proper measures can be taken to protect public health and safety. Those measures include development, implementation and submittal of a compliance plan to address projectiles and particulate matter emissions from the facility as well as record-keeping and reporting requirements.