Illinois EPA grants PCCR USA, Inc. Provisional Variance from Hazardous Waste Accumulation Periods

SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (Illinois EPA) has granted PCCR USA, Inc. a provisional variance from hazardous waste accumulation periods so as not to violate applicable hazardous waste storage requirements. The need for the provisional variance is due to a fire that occurred at a hazardous waste facility where the waste was to be shipped.

PCCR USA, Inc. requested the variance from its hazardous waste storage requirement for one hundred and eight (108) 55-gallon drums at its facility located at 100 East Cottage Avenue, Carpentersville. The drums were scheduled for shipment on April 15, 2015. PCCR ships hazardous waste to a Giant Resource Recovery (GRR) receiving center in Attala, Alabama. GRR then ships the hazardous waste to its facility in Harleyville, South Carolina for incineration. On April 14, 2015, GRR advised PCCR that a fire occurred at the Harleyville facility on April 13, 2015, and the facility has idled operations until an investigation is completed regarding the fire. The scheduled April 15 shipment did not occur for this reason.

PCCR must continue to meet all other hazardous waste storage requirements. Hazardous waste will be properly stored and managed on site in a secure on-site temperature-controlled warehouse by properly trained employees.

Environmental regulations allow a generator to seek an extension of up to 30 days from the Illinois EPA if hazardous waste must remain on-site for longer than 90 days due to unforeseen, temporary, and uncontrollable circumstances. The 90-day accumulation periods for the drums have end dates ranging from April 21 through June 12, 2015. Illinois EPA has determined that such facts and circumstances exist in this situation and grants PCCR a provisional variance for a period of 30 days.