Illinois EPA grants Horsehead Corporation Provisional Variance from Hazardous Waste Accumulation Periods

SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (Illinois EPA) has granted Horsehead Corporation 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.

Horsehead Corporation requested the variance from its hazardous waste storage requirement for 3,300 pounds of hazardous waste at its facility, located at 2701 East 114th Street, Chicago. Horsehead Corporation ships its hazardous waste to a Giant Resource Recovery (GRR) receiving center in Sumter, South Carolina. GRR then ships the hazardous waste to its facility in Harleyville, South Carolina for incineration. GRR notified Horsehead 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.

Horsehead Corporation must continue to meet all other hazardous waste storage requirements. Hazardous waste will be properly stored and managed on site 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 3,300 pounds of hazardous waste ends on April 28, 2015. Illinois EPA has determined that such facts and circumstances exist in this situation and grants Horsehead Corporation a provisional variance for a period of 30 days.

The provisional variance will end no later than May 28, 2015.