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Waste and Disposal Issues
This section concentrates on issues pertaining to household and construction
waste, open dumps, used tires and oil, pesticide containers, disposal
of dead animals, and septic tanks.
- Burn Barrels/Open Burning (Ag Waste Burning, Sec. 237.101)
- Backyard burning has been a common trash disposal method in parts
of Illinois for years. Reasons for burning trash have changed over time,
and so have the hazards. In the past, burning may have been the only
option for many, but now there are safer alternatives available.
- Open Dumps
- Abandoned piles of garbage and other refuse, known as open dumps,
pose a risk to public health and safety and the environment. This document
provides information about reporting open dumps and protecting your
property against open dumping.
- Used Tires
- Farmers are allowed to accumulate up to 20 used tires on their property
without being subject to environmental regulation provided the used
tires are prevented from accumulating water. The Illinois EPA has a
Consensual Removal Program that allows the Illinois EPA to conduct a
one-time removal of up to 1000 used tires from an individual's property
at no cost to the individual provided the property owner signs a Consensual
Removal Agreement (CRA). The used tire removal can be conducted at the
property where the used tires are located or the property owner can
participate in a scheduled
Countywide Used Tire Collection conducted by the Illinois EPA in
conjunction with a unit of local government.
- Used Oil
- Used oil must be properly disposed or recycled. Used oil should not
be used for weed or dust control or burned on bush piles. Improper use
or disposal of used oil can contaminate wells, streams and lakes. Fact
sheets are available that provide information on the proper management
of used oil:
- Empty Pesticide Containers
- The Illinois Department of Agriculture’s Pesticide Container
Recycling Program offers permanent and single-day container collection
sites. The container
recycling schedule, listing of permanent collection sites and information
about preparing
pesticide containers for recycling is available at the Illinois
Department of Agriculture’s web site.
- Dead Animal Disposal Act
- The Illinois Department of Agriculture enforces regulations
concerning animal welfare. Animal welfare officials also respond
to complaints concerning a variety of animal issues, including the improper
disposal of dead animals. The Department of Agriculture’s web
site contains additional information about the Dead
Animal Disposal Act.
- Private sewage systems/septic tanks
- The Illinois Department of Public Health produces a number of fact
sheets about private sewage systems. U.S. EPA’s Homeowner’s
Guide to Septic Systems provides information about septic system
maintenance.
- Composting
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State laws and environmental regulations governing
Composting in Illinois apply based on the waste type, the source of
the waste and the location of the compost facility. Different regulations
and State laws apply to organic waste composting, landscape waste
composting, livestock waste and livestock mortality composting and
sewage sludge composting in Illinois.
Generally, if off-site generated organic wastes will
be received for composting, a permit from Illinois EPA is required.
An exception from permit is made for landscape waste composted and
used on an agricultural crop farm that can meet certain setback, operating
and location restrictions. Livestock waste generated on the farm may
be composted and the finished compost applied to farmland under normal
agricultural practices without a permit from the Illinois EPA. The
livestock waste handling facility must meet the set back distances
in Illinois Department of Agriculture’s Section 35 of the Livestock
Management Facilities Act and Section 501.402 of the Illinois EPA’s,
Subtitle E, Agricultural Related Pollution regulations. Composting
animal mortalities on the farm is subject to the Illinois Department
of Agriculture’s regulations under the Dead Animal Disposal
Act. Sewage sludge composting is regulated under Illinois EPA water
pollution control regulations and is subject to permit.
- Asbestos
- The Illinois EPA Asbestos Unit is dedicated to protect the people
of the State of Illinois and the environment from asbestos exposure.
Illinois EPA is delegated authority by the USEPA to enforce the National
Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP). NESHAP regulates
asbestos during demolition, renovation
and disposal.
- Household Hazardous Waste
- The Illinois EPA coordinates one-day household
hazardous waste collections each year in the spring and fall. The
Illinois EPA seeks and encourages communities or organizations to cosponsor
household hazardous collection events. Collections are scheduled
on Saturdays, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., for the greatest convenience of
working families. Citizens are asked to bring harsh chemical cleaners,
paints, thinners, antifreeze, weed killers, insecticides and pesticides,
and similar hazardous household products. Explosives, propane tanks,
fire extinguishers, smoke detectors, agricultural chemicals and business
wastes are not accepted. View a complete
list of household hazardous wastes that are and are not accepted
at one-day collections.
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