intro

              Illinois Bureau of Land November 2002
Environmental 1021 North Grand Avenue East
Protection Agency P.O. Box 19276
Springfield, IL 62794-9276
IEPA/BOL/02-020
Nonhazardous Solid Waste
Management and Landfill
Capacity in Illinois
Printed on Recycled Paper
2001 Annual
Report
Topics Covered
! Waste disposed in landfills,
1999-2001
! Remaining disposal capacity
as of Jan. 1, 2001 and Jan. 1,
2002
! Specification pages for 57
landfills, 94 transfer stations and
56 compost sites
! Waste generated and recycled,
2001
! Waste handled by transfer
stations, 1999-2001
! Waste composted,
1999-2001
Nonhazardous
Solid Waste Management
And Landfill Capacity
In Illinois: 2001
Reporting period for waste disposal: Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, 2001
Reporting date for landfill capacity: Jan. 1, 2002
This report has been prepared for the Governor of the State of Illinois and the General Assembly
in accordance with Section 4 of the Illinois Solid Waste Management Act.
Illinois Environmental Protection Agency
Bureau of Land
Division of Land Pollution Control
Waste Reduction and Compliance Section
1021 North Grand Ave. East
P.O. Box 19276
Springfield, IL 62794-9276
Printed on recycled paper.
This page left intentionally blank
How to Obtain Additional Information
To learn more about municipal solid waste landfills, transfer
stations or compost facilities in Illinois, please call 217-785-
8604, or write to:
Illinois Environmental Protection Agency
Bureau of Land
Waste Reduction and Compliance Section
P.O. Box 19276
Springfield, IL 62794-9276
Our Internet address is http://www.epa.state.il.us
When using courier services (UPS, Airborne, etc.), please use
the following street address and zip code:
1021 North Grand Ave. East
Springfield, IL 62702
Acknowledgements
This document is produced by the Illinois Environmental
Protection Agency, Renee Cipriano, Director, and is published
by the Agency’s Office of Public Information, Dennis
McMurray, manager. The report is printed in the Agency’s print
shop. Many thanks go to Tom Davis and Rusty Downs who
provided publishing advice to the Primary Editor. Maggie
Carson and Hope Wright provided editing. Excellent
organizational skills and typing was provided by Judy Brubaker,
the Section’s clerical support.
Illinois EPA Bureau of Land personnel contributed their time
and expertise to the development of this publication. Primary
Editor was Ellen Robinson of the Waste Reduction and
Compliance Section. Much assistance with computer data
calculation was provided by Darrel Watkins ensuring better data
accuracy throughout the report. Assistance with compost site
permitting and reporting was provided by Gary Cima and Joanie
McMillan. Neelu Reddy of Remedial Project Management
Section provided information about Illinois FIRST abandoned
landfill program; and Jim Moore explained closure procedures.
The Agency also wishes to thank the 19 delegated counties, plus
Ambraw Valley Solid Waste Agency and the City of Chicago
who inspect and have first-hand knowledge of approximately 50
percent of the landfills, transfer stations and compost sites
written about in this report. We welcome our newest delegated
partner Saline County. Our seven regional offices and their
regional managers are responsible for inspecting all Agency-permitted
pollution control facilities.
Additional Information
Nonhazardous Solid Waste Management and Landfill Capacity in Illinois: 2001 ! iii
Cover Photo: Photo of Litchfield-Hillsboro Landfill by Bill Gonet, Inspector, Montgomery County Coordinated
Services Office, Hillsboro
Region 1: Photo of Onyx Orchard Hills Landfill by Joy Bliton, Inspector, Ogle County Solid Waste
Management Department, Oregon
Region 2: Photo of Onyx Zion Landfill by Greg Giroux, Inspector, Lake County Health Department,
Waukegan
Region 3: Photo of Spoon Ridge RDF by Larry Dutton, former Environmental Protection Specialist, Illinois
Environmental Protection Agency, Peoria Regional Office
Region 4: Photo of Livingston Landfill by Ken Keigley, Environmental Protection Specialist, Illinois
Environmental Protection Agency, Champaign Regional Office
Region 5: Photo of Litchfield-Hillsboro Landfill by Bill Gonet, Inspector, Montgomery County Coordinated
Services Office, Hillsboro
Region 6: Photo of Milam RDF by David Walchshauser, former Environmental Protection Program
Specialist, St. Clair County Health Department, Belleville
Region 7: Photo of Southern Illinois Regional Landfill by George Browning, Inspector, Jackson County
Health Department, Murphysboro
Photo Credits
iv ! Nonhazardous Solid Waste Management and Landfill Capacity in Illinois: 2001
S INCE ITS ESTABLISHMENT IN 1970, THE ILLINOIS
EPA has overseen the development and operation of a
productive system of modern sanitary landfills. The
Agency ensures that these facilities meet the strictest disposal
standards in history, and that they are engineered to be fully
protective of human health and the environment, especially
where it concerns any possibility of groundwater
contamination.
This is the Agency’s 15th annual report on landfill disposal and
available landfill capacity in Illinois. The number of active
landfills in Illinois accepting waste in 2001 was 52. The state’s
landfills have 14 years of capacity remaining.
Regional capacity may be a different matter. The Chicago
Metropolitan and East Central Illinois areas only have six and
seven years remaining.
New capacity is being developed in Region 7 (Southern Illinois)
by Perry Ridge Landfill and West End Disposal Facility. The
state’s newest landfill is Cottonwood Hills RDF near East St.
Louis opened for the last two months of 2000. No new landfills
opened in 2001. Knox County Landfill #3 expanded on Nov.
11, 2001. Some remaining landfills have constructed
expansions in 2002 as there was sufficient acreage already
having local siting approval.
The State of Illinois, seeking to avoid potential crises, has asked
all Illinois counties to adopt and update every five years well-conceived
plans to accommodate their future disposal needs.
Eighty-seven five year plan updates and sixteen ten year plan
updates have been received from counties.
Additionally, the Illinois EPA’s seven regional offices and 19
counties, the Ambraw Valley Solid Waste Agency and the City
of Chicago have been delegated the authority to inspect
landfills, transfer stations and compost sites in their
jurisdictions, providing a needed service to the citizens of
Illinois. We welcome Saline County as our newest delegated
partner.
The Illinois EPA hopes you will find this information useful
and instructive and welcomes your comments and suggestions
as to how it may be improved.
Renee Cipriano
Director
Illinois EPA
Preface
Nonhazardous Solid Waste Management and Landfill Capacity in Illinois: 2001 ! v
Nonhazardous Solid Waste Management and
Landfill Capacity in Illinois is Illinois EPA’s annual
report describing the management of nonhazardous
municipal solid waste by the State’s solid waste
landfills and transfer stations. The report is divided
into sections representing Illinois EPA’s
administrative regions. Region 1 includes
Northwestern Illinois counties; Region 2 includes
Chicago Metropolitan counties; Region 3 includes
Peoria/Quad Cities area counties; Region 4 includes
East Central Illinois counties; Region 5 includes
West Central Illinois counties; Region 6 includes
Metropolitan East St. Louis area counties; and
Region 7 includes Southern Illinois counties.
Each regional section includes newly designed
specification pages describing the chief physical
characteristics of each landfill. Provided are: its
location and hours of operation, tipping fee,
quantities of wastes received for the last three years,
the landfill’s certified remaining capacity (in gate
cubic yards) for the last two reporting dates, solid
waste management fees paid in 2001, the Agency regional field office or delegated local authority that
inspects the facility, and the name, address and phone number of the landfill’s owner and operator. Similar
but scaled down specification pages are included for each transfer station. In all, this report includes details
of 57 landfills, 94 transfer stations and 56 compost facilities.
Landfill details are found in Appendices A- D; transfer station details are found in Appendices E- G;
landscape waste compost facility information is found in Appendices H- J; the contact list for local (county)
solid waste planning and recycling coordinators is found in Appendix K; in Appendix L is found
information about updated local (county) solid waste plans; and found in Appendix M is information about
local municipal waste generation and recycling.
Illinois municipal solid waste landfills are required to report to the Illinois EPA the quantities of solid waste
they receive each year (in gate cubic yards), and to calculate and report the amount of remaining capacity
existing on the first day of the following year.
How to Use Illinois EPA’s Landfill Capacity Report
vi ! Nonhazardous Solid Waste Management and Landfill Capacity in Illinois: 2001
Additional Information and Acknowledgements .........................................................................................iii
Photo Credits ...........................................................................................................................................iv
Preface ..................................................................................................................................................... v
How to Use Illinois EPA’s Landfill Capacity Report ....................................................................................vi
Tables .................................................................................................................................................... viii
Executive Summary .................................................................................................................................xi
Introduction .............................................................................................................................................. 1
Region One: Northwestern Illinois ........................................................................................................R1.1
Region Two: Chicago Metropolitan ......................................................................................................R2.1
Region Three: Peoria/Quad Cities .......................................................................................................R3.1
Region Four: East Central Illinois .........................................................................................................R4.1
Region Five: West Central Illinois .........................................................................................................R5.1
Region Six: Metropolitan East St. Louis ...............................................................................................R6.1
Region Seven: Southern Illinois ...........................................................................................................R7.1
Appendix A: Solid Waste Landfills Owners and Operators: Alphabetic by Facility ...................................A1
Appendix B: Solid Waste Landfills Owners and Operators: Alphabetic by County ...................................B1
Appendix C: Solid Waste Landfills Ranked by Wastes Received: 2001 ..................................................C1
Appendix D: Solid Waste Landfills Ranked by Remaining Capacities; as of Jan. 1, 2002 .......................D1
Appendix E: Solid Waste Transfer Station Owners and Operators: Alphabetic by Facility .......................E1
Appendix F: Solid Waste Transfer Station Owners and Operators: Alphabetic by County ...................... F1
Appendix G: Solid Waste Transfer Stations Ranked by Wastes Received: 2001 ................................... G1
Appendix H: Landscape Waste Compost Facility Owners and Operators: Alphabetic by Facility ............H1
Appendix I: Landscape Waste Compost Facility Owners and Operators: Alphabetic by County ............. I1
Appendix J: Landscape Waste Compost Facilities Ranked by Wastes Received: 2001 ......................... J1
Appendix K: Contact List for Solid Waste Planning and Recycling: Alphabetic by County .......................K1
Appendix L: Adoption Dates and Updates of Solid Waste Management Plans:
Alphabetic by County .......................................................................................................... L1
Appendix M: Municipal Waste Generation and Recycling: Alphabetic by County ................................... M1
Contents
Nonhazardous Solid Waste Management and Landfill Capacity in Illinois: 2001 ! vii
USA’s Top Waste Management Companies: 2001 .................................................................................... 2
National Figures for 2000 Reported by USEPA ......................................................................................... 4
Illinois Landfills: Wastes Accepted in 2001 Versus 2000 ........................................................................... 5
State of Origin of Wastes Received at Illinois Landfills in 2001 ................................................................. 5
Illinois Landfills: Remaining Capacities Jan. 1, 2002 Versus Jan. 1, 2001 ................................................. 6
Wastes Disposed and Landfill Capacity Per Capita; Landfill Life Expectancy ............................................ 6
New Facilities Permitted to be Developed or Constructed ......................................................................... 7
Statewide Landfill Capacity Is Abundant Despite Same Number of Facilities ............................................ 7
Municipal Waste Management in Illinois: 2001 .......................................................................................... 8
Municipal Wastes Generated & Recycled ................................................................................................. 9
Compost Facilities: Wastes Handled 2001 .............................................................................................. 10
Transfer Stations: Wastes Handled 2001 ................................................................................................ 11
Illinois Environmental Protection Agency Administrative Regions (map) ................................................. 15
Local Agencies Delegated to Inspect Pollution Control Facilities for the Illinois EPA (map) ..................... 17
Landfills: Active, Closed, Under Development in 2001 (map) .................................................................. 19
Landfills Receiving Waste from Other States in 2001 (map) .................................................................... 21
Region One: Landfills and Transfer Stations in 2001 (map depicting capacity gains or losses) ............R1.1
Region One: Landfills: Wastes Accepted 2001; Remaining Capacities Jan. 1, 2002 ............................R1.2
Region One: Transfer Stations: Wastes Handled 2001 ........................................................................R1.3
Region One: Compost Facilities: Wastes Accepted 2001 .....................................................................R1.4
Region One: Municipal Wastes Recycled .............................................................................................R1.4
Region Two: Landfills and Transfer Stations in 2001 (map depicting capacity gains or losses) ............R2.1
Region Two: Landfills: Wastes Accepted 2001; Remaining Capacities Jan. 1, 2002 ............................R2.2
Region Two: Compost Facilities: Wastes Accepted 2001 .....................................................................R2.3
Region Two: Cook County’s Inactive Compost Sites ............................................................................R2.3
Region Two: Cook County Transfer Stations and Incinerator (map) .....................................................R2.4
Region Two: Chicago Transfer Stations (map) .....................................................................................R2.5
Region Two: Transfer Stations: Wastes Handled 2001 ........................................................................R2.6
Region Two: Municipal Wastes Recycled .............................................................................................R2.7
Region Three: Landfills and Transfer Stations in 2001 (map depicting capacity gains or losses) .........R3.1
Region Three: Landfills: Wastes Accepted 2001; Remaining Capacities Jan. 1, 2002 .........................R3.2
Region Three: Transfer Stations: Wastes Handled 2001 ......................................................................R3.3
Region Three: Compost Facilities: Wastes Accepted 2001 ..................................................................R3.4
Region Three: Municipal Wastes Recycled ..........................................................................................R3.4
Region Four: Landfills and Transfer Stations in 2001 (map depicting capacity gains or losses) ...........R4.1
Region Four: Landfills: Wastes Accepted 2001; Remaining Capacities Jan. 1, 2002 ...........................R4.2
Region Four: Transfer Stations: Wastes Handled 2001 ........................................................................R4.3
Region Four: Compost Facilities: Wastes Accepted 2001 ....................................................................R4.3
Region Four: Municipal Wastes Recycled ............................................................................................R4.4
Tables
viii ! Nonhazardous Solid Waste Management and Landfill Capacity in Illinois: 2001
Region Five: Landfills and Transfer Stations in 2001 (map depicting capacity gains or losses) ............R5.1
Region Five: Landfills: Wastes Accepted 2001; Remaining Capacities Jan. 1, 2002 ............................R5.2
Region Five: Transfer Stations: Wastes Handled 2001 ........................................................................R5.3
Region Five: Compost Facilities: Wastes Accepted 2001 .....................................................................R5.3
Region Five: Municipal Wastes Recycled .............................................................................................R5.4
Region Six: Landfills and Transfer Stations in 2001 (map depicting capacity gains or losses) .............R6.1
Region Six: Landfills: Wastes Accepted 2001; Remaining Capacities Jan. 1, 2002 ..............................R6.2
Region Six: Transfer Stations: Wastes Handled 2001 ..........................................................................R6.3
Region Six: Compost Facilities: Wastes Accepted 2001 ......................................................................R6.4
Region Six: Municipal Wastes Recycled ..............................................................................................R6.4
Region Seven: Landfills and Transfer Stations in 2001 (map depicting capacity gains or losses) ........R7.1
Region Seven: Landfills: Wastes Accepted 2001; Remaining Capacities Jan. 1, 2002 ........................R7.2
Region Seven: Transfer Stations: Wastes Handled 2001 .....................................................................R7.3
Region Seven: Compost Facilities: Wastes Accepted 2001 .................................................................R7.3
Region Seven: Municipal Wastes Recycled .........................................................................................R7.4
Tables
Nonhazardous Solid Waste Management and Landfill Capacity in Illinois: 2001 ! ix
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T HIS IS THE ILLINOIS EPA’S 15TH ANNUAL REPORT
describing the management of nonhazardous municipal
solid waste by the state’s solid waste landfills and
transfer stations. The report is divided into sections representing
Illinois EPA administrative regions.
Each regional section includes specification pages describing
the chief physical characteristics of each landfill. Provided are:
its location and hours of operation, tipping fee, quantities of
wastes received for the last three years (in gate cubic yards and
gate tons), the landfill’s certified remaining capacity for the last
two reporting dates (in gate cubic yards), solid waste
management fees paid in 2001, the Agency regional field office
or delegated local authority that inspects the facility, and the
name, address and phone number of the landfill’s owner and
operator.
Similar but scaled down specification pages are included for
each transfer station. In all, this report includes details of 57
landfills, 94 transfer stations and 56 compost facilities.
Illinois municipal solid waste landfills are required to report to
the Illinois EPA the quantities of solid waste they receive each
year, and to calculate and report the amount of remaining
capacity existing on the first day of the following year.
During 2001, 52 landfills reported receiving a total of 52.6
million gate cubic yards (16 million gate tons) of waste. This
volume was 2.7 million gate cubic yards more than the total
received during 2000, a 5.4 percent increase.
As of Jan. 1, 2002, 52 landfills reported having a combined
remaining capacity of 717.3 million gate cubic yards (217.4
million tons), or 26 million gate cubic yards less than on Jan. 1,
2001, a decline of 3.5 percent.
Dividing wastes disposed during 2001 by capacity remaining on
Jan. 1, 2002, indicates a landfill life expectancy in Illinois of 14
years, at 2001 disposal rates, barring capacity adjustments, until
capacity is depleted state-wide.
Executive Summary
Nonhazardous Solid Waste Management and Landfill Capacity in Illinois: 2001 ! xi
Nonhazardous
Solid Waste Management
And Landfill Capacity
2001
Introduction
M UNICIPAL SOLID WASTE IS THE TERM USED TO DESCRIBE
the garbage discarded by America’s households, stores,
offices, factories, restaurants, schools and other
institutions. “Discarded” most often means disposed of in Agency-permitted
landfills. Increasing amounts are handled through other
alternative means of solid waste management: recycling and
composting.
The U.S. EPA’s Municipal Solid Waste in the United States: 2000
Facts & Figures says that nationwide 55.3 percent of solid waste
was landfilled, 30.1 percent was recycled or composted and 33.7
percent was incinerated. National figures for 2001 were not
published at the printing of this report.
In 2001, Illinois landfills accepted more than 52.6 million gate cubic
yards of solid waste. Most Illinois waste was discarded in landfills
within our borders. Wastes entering and leaving the state are not
believed to affect this equation. Of all solid wastes landfilled in
Illinois in 2001, nine percent, or about 4.8 million cubic yards or 1.4
million tons, came from eleven other states. We know this because
Illinois landfills have reported these quantities to the Illinois EPA
since 1992. However, waste haulers are not required to report how
much Illinois waste they transport to landfills in other states or from
which counties waste is transported. Local solid waste coordinators
may know this information. Their phone numbers are found in
Appendix K.
Some is recycled
Much of Illinois is still rural and far from recycling markets. Most
local governments have attempted to continue recycling education
and collection efforts as a necessary public service.
County recycling coordinators in Illinois claim that more than 33.6
percent of all wastes were recycled in 2001, meaning this portion
was not landfilled. Recycling coordinators place total generated
wastes at about 15.6 million tons. But this total does not take
recycling into account. It appears that perhaps the municipal waste
generation rate is higher than reported; the amount imported is
greater than exported; or the reported recycling rate is higher than
the actual rate. Hence, there are discrepancies in data.
Most of the counties in Region 2, Chicago Metropolitan report new
data annually, on a voluntary basis. There are markets and public
interest in recycling is high. The most populus areas of the State
report data, in most cases.
What’s happening in the
solid waste business in
Illinois?
! One less active landfill in 2001, (52
total), most with larger capacities
! In Southern Illinois, two landfills are
under development and one is
expanding
! Consolidation of waste
management companies, resulting
in many changes in who owns and
operates facilities in Illinois
! Continued increase in pollution
control facilities under private
ownership and operation
! More transfer of wastes out of
metropolitan Chicago area into
adjacent state(s), and north and
central Illinois counties
! More siting of transfer stations in
Chicagoland suburbs
2001 Annual
Report
Topics Covered
! Waste disposed in landfills,
1999-2001 (in gate cubic
yards and in gate tons)
! Remaining disposal capacity
as of Jan. 1, 2001 and Jan. 1,
2002 (in gate cubic yards)
! Specification pages for 57
landfills, 94 transfer stations and
56 compost sites
! Waste generated and recycled,
2001 (in tons)
! Waste handled by transfer
stations, 1999-2001
(in tons)
! Waste composted,
1999-2001 (in tons)
Nonhazardous Solid Waste Management and Landfill Capacity in Illinois: 2001 ! 1
Consolidation of the Waste
Industry in the USA
The Illinois waste industry has
consolidated in recent years. Waste
Management, Inc. (WMI) and Allied
Waste Industries (AW) are companies
that under went mergers during the
years 1998 and 1999.
The largest waste companies in the
world are:
#1 Waste Management Inc.
includes WMI (formerly #1)/USA
Waste (formerly #3)/Eastern
Services
#2 Allied Waste Industries
includes most of BFI (formerly #2)/
Allied Waste (formerly #5)/
American Disposal
The largest company, Waste
Management, has moved its world
headquarters from Oak Brook, IL to
Houston, TX. Another Illinois company,
American Disposal Company of Burr
Ridge, bought Scottsdale, AZ based
Allied Waste.
Allied Waste also purchased Metro
Chicago area transfer stations formerly
owned by Liberty Waste Services and
Illinois Recycling Services.
Other companies such as Onyx/
Superior and Republic Services now
own landfills and transfer stations in
Illinois, which were divested in the
merger of these larger companies.
No waste in 2001 was burned
The previous year, in 2000, a small amount of suburban Chicago’s
waste was incinerated at Robbins Resource Recovery Facility.
Because this site closed in Nov. 2000 for business reasons, it was no
longer available as an option for solid waste disposal in 2001.
Ownership and operation of Illinois landfills
Demands for capital and increasing technology requirements are
among the reasons for the increasing privatization of the waste
industry. Of the 57 landfills profiled in this report, 48 (84 percent)
are privately owned and 54 (95 percent) are privately operated. Four
are owned and three are operated by city or county governments.
Onyx/
WMI1 AW2 Republic3 Superior4 Totals
Number of Waste
Collection Companies 1,400 355 146 62 1,963
Number of Active
Landfills 284 166 54 22 526
Number of Transfer
Stations 293 181 89 30 593
Number of Waste to
Energy Facilities 16 0 0 0 16
Number of Recycling
Companies 160 65 26 21 272
Rankings:
1 Waste Management Inc. (WMI) reports $11.32 billion in 2001
revenue, covers N. American continent and Puerto Rico
2 Allied Waste Industries (AW) reports $5.57 billion in 2001
revenue, covers 39 states
3 Republic Services (Republic) reports $2.25 billion in revenue in
2001, covers 22 states
4 Onyx/Superior made $1 billion in 2000 revenue, covers 12 states.
Source: Company Annual Reports and Web Sites
American Disposal Purchased Pittsburgh-based Liberty Waste Services, Ltd. (Illinois/Indiana); Illinois
(now Allied) & Allied Waste Recycling Services in Chicago metro area; and most of BFI’s facilities.
Republic Services Purchased Southern Illinois Regional Landfill and several transfer stations.
Onyx/Superior Services Purchased Macon County Landfill in Central Illinois, several transfer stations and
Zion Landfill in Chicago suburbs, and Orchard Hills Landfill (Ogle County).
USA’s Top Waste Management Companies: 2001
Waste Companies Purchased During and After Mergers
2 ! Nonhazardous Solid Waste Management and Landfill Capacity in Illinois: 2001
Material Bans
Some material is banned from disposal
in Illinois landfills. The type of material
banned is indicated below and the date
of its legislative ban is noted.
Landscape waste: July 1, 1990
Lead acid batteries: Sept. 1, 1990
White goods
components: July 1, 1994
Whole used tires: Jan. 1, 1995
Used motor oil: July 1, 1996
Landfill operators and owners are
responsible for determining that these
wastes are not accepted at their
facilities. Inspectors from the Agency
and/or delegated agencies check the
log sheets that indicate items not
accepted at the gate, which were
returned to the generator or
transporter.
About $1 million per acre
Developing a landfill requires enormous investments in land and
equipment totaling millions of dollars, plus engineering expenses,
fees to state and local governments, taxes, normal operating costs
and additional millions set aside for post-closure care. One industry
rule of thumb says it takes about $1 million per acre to design,
build, permit, operate and conduct post-closure care at a landfill
today.
Landfills are developed cell by cell
Landfills are divided into sections called cells, which are developed
as needed, filled systematically so that specific loads can be located
weeks or months later, and covered with soil or other materials to
prevent the spread of odors and vermin.
Trucks arriving at a landfill are inspected for prohibited
nonhazardous wastes (Illinois bans landfilling of liquids, motor oil,
whole tires and landscape wastes) and for hazardous wastes. Loads
are weighed and details about them are recorded. They are then
taken to the currently exposed portion of the active cell, which is
known as the working face.
Trucks empty their loads at the working face, where specially
modified bulldozers spread and compact the waste, crushing it to
eliminate air pockets and squeezing it into the smallest space
possible.
During 2001, 52 Illinois landfills reported receiving a total of 52.6
million gate cubic yards of solid wastes. A ranking of these facilities
(Appendix C) finds the top six landfills received almost 50 percent
of wastes received in Illinois. This unequal distribution of wastes
creates a large difference between an average landfill, which would
have accepted more than one million gate cubic yards (about 307
thousand gate tons) of wastes and a median landfill, which would
have received about 597 thousand gate cubic yards (almost 181
thousand gate tons).
Closings cut capacity
Several landfills shut their gates between 1999 and 2001. The dates
when these landfills ceased accepting waste follow: Region 2:
Mallard Lake Landfill (3-13-99), CDT Landfill (6-9-00), and
Wheatland Prairie RDF (6-18-01). Mallard Lake Landfill is also
certified closed.
Landfills projecting closure dates prior to the end of 2002 are
Region 1: Freeport Municipal LF #4 and Region 6: South Chain of
Rocks RDF. These sites were still accepting waste as of the end of
September 2002.
Landfills seek to expand
Three landfills in Region 4: Coles Co. Landfill, Landfill 33 and
Streator Area Landfill #3 and in Region 7: Saline County LF are
planning to expand their permitted disposal areas in 2002.
Nonhazardous Solid Waste Management and Landfill Capacity in Illinois: 2001 ! 3
Gate Cubic Yards and Tons
Illinois landfills are required to report to
the Illinois EPA the quantities of wastes
received during each calendar year.
They must also calculate how much
capacity remains available for future
waste disposal.
These figures are submitted to the
Agency in gate cubic yards, or the
volume of waste entering the landfill’s
gate. Remaining capacities are
expressed as certified gate cubic
yards, meaning that the calculations
have been certified as true and
accurate by a licensed professional
engineer. These numbers are found in
the landfill specification pages in each
regional section of this report.
The term in-place cubic yard is used to
indicate wastes that have been
compressed to a half or a third or a
quarter of their original volume,
depending on the degree of
compaction achieved by the landfill.
Gate cubic yards can be difficult to
visualize. To aid the reader, we have
divided gate cubic yards by an industry
standard of 3.3 to achieve approximate
tons.
Additional capacity at Sangamon Valley Landfill in Region 5 was
unavailable until their permit modifications under new owners was
approved on Oct. 24, 2002, and the gates are re-opened, perhaps in
2003.
Nonhazardous Solid Waste Management and Landfill
Capacity in Illinois: 15th Annual Report (2001)
Section 4 of the Illinois Solid Waste Management Act requires the
Agency to “publish a report regarding the projected disposal
capacity available for solid waste in sanitary landfills. . . . Such
reports shall present the data on an appropriate regional basis. . .
[and] shall include an assessment of the life expectancy of each
site.”
This legislative mandate explains why the main body of this report
is organized by seven Illinois EPA administrative regions, and why
landfill capacity and life expectancy are emphasized in nearby
tables and charts, and in text, tables, map symbology and landfill
specification pages in the regional sections.
Other states which write a report similar to this are Florida, Indiana,
Washington and Virginia. For more information contact Peter
Gorer, Florida Dept. of Environmental Protection at 850-487-9532;
Michelle Weddle, Indiana Dept. of Environmental Management at
317-233-4624; Ellen Caywood, Washington Dept. of Ecology at
206-459-6259; and John Ely, Virginia Dept. of Environmental
Quality at 804-698-4249. Virginia’s report is only available on the
internet.
U.S. EPA’s MSW Report, 2000
National solid waste data are available in the report Municipal Solid
Waste in the United States: 2000 Facts & Figures, published June
2002. To get a copy, contact U.S. EPA at www.epa.gov/osw and
search by report number EPA530-S-02-001. This report contains
information about waste generation and categorizes the municipal
solid waste stream by waste type. The executive summary is
abstracted below.
National Figures for 2000 Reported by USEPA 1
Number of municipal solid waste landfills in the USA 1,967
Average number of landfills per state 39
Million Tons Percent PPD 2
Waste generated 231.9 4.5
Waste recycled and composted 69.9
Waste recycled 53.4 30.1
Waste landfilled and combusted 162.0 70
Waste landfilled 128.3 55.3
Waste combusted 33.7 14.5
1 Source: Municipal Solid Waste in the United States: 2000 Facts and Figures, USEPA Office of Solid Waste and Emergency
Response, June 2002
2 PPD = Pounds Per Person Per Day
4 ! Nonhazardous Solid Waste Management and Landfill Capacity in Illinois: 2001
Per capita views alter perspectives
Perhaps even more revealing is the table on bottom of page 6, which
views waste and landfill capacities on a per capita basis. Regions 2
and 7 have the lowest remaining capacity per capita. These regions
are the only areas whose remaining capacity per capita is below the
State average. The City of Chicago has 16 transfer stations, suburbs
of Cook County have 25 and there are another 15 in surrounding
counties. Some of these transfer stations undoubtedly ship waste out
of the region or out-of-state into Wisconsin or Indiana. The amount
of waste sent to Indiana increased five percent: the amounts reported
as 1.6 million tons in 2001 and 1.5 million tons in 2000. Information
on waste transported to Wisconsin is unavailable. For Southern
Illinois, the additional capacity from two new facilities under
development may help increase their capacity figures in 2002.
We also must take into account waste transported to adjacent states,
such as Missouri in the East St. Louis Metro Region. If Region Six
continues as a net importer shown in the table by its 48.8 percent
import rate, it could run short on landfill space in 19 years.
Cottonwood Hills RDF, in St. Clair County, opened in November
2000, might help alleviate this situation.
In Region Two, because of the moratorium against landfills in the
City of Chicago, in other areas of Region 2 siting of new landfills or
existing landfills will expand or else transfer of waste will occur to
other States (Wisconsin and Indiana) and counties in North and
Central Illinois. Any limits to out-of-state waste disposal in these
states, or capacity shortage, will affect the Chicago metropolitan area
and cause a local shortage of landfill disposal space.
Statewide, while the number of active landfills fell sharply when
more stringent regulations took affect in 1994, the average landfill
capacity grew close to 14.7 million cubic yards in 2000, and down to
13.8 million cubic yards (4.2 million tons) in 2001. The waste
landfilled increased 5.4 percent, from 49.0 million gate cu. yds. (16.0
million gate tons) in 2000 to 52.6 million cu. yds. (4.2 million tons)
in 2001.
State of Origin of Wastes
Received at Illinois Landfills
in 20011
Nine percent of all solid wastes
landfilled in Illinois in 2001 (4.7 million
gate cubic yards) came from out-of-state.
However, waste haulers do not
report how much Illinois waste they
transport to landfills in other states or
from which counties in Illinois waste is
transported.
Most importing states are next door
neighbors to Illinois and share its
borders.
State of Origin Percent
Missouri 71%
Iowa 18%
Indiana 5%
Kentucky 1%
Wisconsin 3%
Other States 2 2%
Total 100%
1 Thirty (30) landfills accepted waste
from 11 other states in 2001.
2 Arkansas, Georgia, Kansas,
Kentucky, Minnesota, Nebraska and
Tennessee
Nonhazardous Solid Waste Management and Landfill Capacity in Illinois: 2001 ! 5
Illinois Landfills: Wastes Accepted in 2001 Versus 2000
Landfills
Accepting 2001 Wastes
Wastes Wastes Accepted, Cu. Yds._ Yearly Change_____ Share of
Region 2001 1
2001 2 20003 Cu. Yds. Percent State Total
One: Northwestern Illinois 8 10,512,138 8,565,342 + 1,946,796 + 22.7 20.0
Two: Chicago Metropolitan 13 13,840,199 14,085,751 - 245,552 - 1.7 26.3
Three: Peoria/Quad Cities 8 4,357,297 4,454,557 - 97,273 - 2.2 8.3
Four: East Central Illinois 9 13,959,055 12,772,784 + 1,186,271 + 9.3 26.5
Five: West Central Illinois 4 1,778,379 1,770,921 + 7,458 + 0.4 3.4
Six: Metropolitan East St. Louis 6 6,212,813 6,369,788 - 156,975 - 2.5 11.8
Seven: Southern Illinois 4 1,989,841 1,938,073 + 51,768 + 2.7 3.8
Totals 52 52,649,722 49,957,216 +2,692,493 +5.4 100
1 Includes facilities that accepted municipal waste for less than full year.
2 Includes 4,755,198 cubic yards of out-of-state wastes (9% of state total) accepted by 30 Illinois landfills during 2001.
3 Includes 5,108,405 cubic yards of out-of-state wastes (10% of state total) accepted by 30 Illinois landfills during 2000.
Capacity decreases documented on Jan. 1, 2002
In a year that brought a 3.5 percent decrease in landfill capacity, 38 of
52 Illinois landfills had less space available on Jan. 1, 2002, than on Jan.
1, 2001. But, landfill capacity in Illinois, for the most part, has grown
over the past 10 years. That growth has come from two sources:
expansions of existing facilities and development of new landfills.
Location of active and new landfills are noted on a map on page 19.
The table below compares landfill remaining capacities in “snapshots”
taken Jan. 1, 2001, and Jan. 1, 2002. Total capacity dropped 26 million
cubic yards year to year.
Landfill capacity dipped more than 3.5 percent in Region 4 from one
year to the next. Three regions: 1, 3, and 5 reported very small increases
in capacity, due to a few landfills opening new cells during that time
period.
Of particular concern is Region 2, the Chicago metropolitan region.
Capacity in that region decreased over 7.8 percent in this reporting year.
Siting and developing new landfills can take several years. Refer to
page R2.2 of this report for details about this issue.
6 ! Nonhazardous Solid Waste Management and Landfill Capacity in Illinois: 2001
New Southern Illinois
Capacity in 2002
The decrease in capacity of 6.7
percent in Region Seven, Southern
Illinois will be buffered in the coming
years by the opening of two landfills
currently under development there.
They are West End Disposal Facility,
Galatia and Perry Ridge Landfill in
DuQuoin. Saline County Landfill also
plans to expand in the near future, if
permitted.
See pages R7.6, R7.7 and R7.10 of
this report.
Illinois Landfills: Remaining Capacities Jan. 1, 2002 Versus Jan. 1, 2001
Landfills
Reporting Capacity
Capacity Reported Capacity, Cu. Yds.___ Yearly Change_____ Share of
Region 1-1-02 1-1-02 1-1-01 Cu. Yds. Percent State Total
One: Northwestern Illinois 8 161,914,000 159,606,000 +2,308,000 +1.4 22.6
Two: Chicago Metropolitan 13 85,590,000 92,794,000 -7,204,000 -7.8 11.9
Three: Peoria/Quad Cities 1 8 180,064,000 179,727,000 +337,000 +0.2 25.1
Four: East Central Illinois 9 92,246,000 106,418,000 -14,172,000 -13.3 12.9
Five: West Central Illinois 2 4 57,615,000 56,830,000 +785,000 +1.4 8.0
Six: Metropolitan East St. Louis 6 116,191,000 122,585,000 -6,394,000 -5.2 16.2
Seven: Southern Illinois 4 23,711,000 25,403,000 -1,692,000 -6.7 3.3
Totals 52 717,331,000 743,363,000 -26,032,000 -3.5 100.0
1 Includes capacity at one inactive facility: Spoon Ridge RDF.
2 Includes capacity at one inactive facility: Sangamon Valley Landfill which received new permits on Oct. 24, 2002.
Wastes Disposed and Landfill Capacity Per Capita; Landfill Life Expectancy
Estimated Wastes Disposed, Cu. Yds. Remaining Capacity, Cu. Yds Landfill Life
Region Population 2001 Per Capita Jan. 1, 2002 Per Capita Years1
One: Northwestern Illinois 800,195 10,512,138 13.1 161,914,000 202.3 15
Two: Chicago Metropolitan 8,297,558 13,840,199 1.7 85,590,000 10.3 6
Three: Peoria/Quad Cities 760,096 4,357,297 5.7 180,064,000 236.9 41
Four: East Central Illinois 855,804 13,959,055 16.3 92,246,000 107.8 7
Five: West Central Illinois 560,176 1,778,379 3.2 57,615,000 102.9 32
Six: Metropolitan East St. Louis 705,844 6,212,813 8.8 116,191,000 164.6 19
Seven: Southern Illinois 436,414 1,989,841 4.6 23,711,000 54.3 12
Totals 12,416,087 52,649,722 4.2 717,331,000 57.8 14
1 Remaining capacity divided by wastes disposed. Tells how long a region may be served by local landfills at current disposal rates, barring capacity
adjustments, until capacity is depleted.
Statewide Landfill Capacity Is Abundant Despite Same Number of Facilities
New Facilities Permitted to be Developed or Constructed
Region Landfill Municipality County
Disposal Area
(acres)
Design Acreage
(cu. yds.)1
Seven: Southern Illinois Perry Ridge 2 DuQuoin Perry 141 14.8 million
Seven: Southern Illinois West End Disp. Facility 3 Galatia Saline 125 14.5 million
1 Includes space for waste, intermediate or daily cover and capacity (in-place cubic yards)
2 Permit approved, site now being developed. 3 Site opened October 24, 2002.
Total 266 29.3 million
At the end of each year, Illinois landfill operators calculate how much waste they will be able to accept in
the future. This volume is known as remaining or available capacity, and is expressed in gate cubic
yards, meaning waste received at the landfill’s gate, before it is compacted. One industry rule of thumb
says 10 gate cubic yards of waste can be compressed into five compacted cubic yards. Obviously, the
greater the compaction, the more waste can be buried.
Tight Regulations Force Cutbacks Pushing Survivors To Build Capacity
106
83
59 58 57 56 58 53 53 52
0
30
60
90
120
150
180
'92 '93 '94 '95 '96 '97 '98 '99 '00 '01
Tougher laws
take effect
361 372 363 362
474
412
623
750
793
743
717
200
275
350
425
500
575
650
725
800
'92 '93 '94 '95 '96 '97 '98 '99 '00 '01 '02
31% increase
51% increase
20% increase
Average Landfill Capacity Grows While Disposal Rates Remained Constant
3 3.3 3.5
4.4
6.1
8.2
7.2
11.1
13.3
14.7
14 13.8
0
3
6
9
12
15
'91 '92 '93 '94 '95 '96 '97 '98 '99 '00 '01 '02
44
42 41 41
47 47 46
40
45
50 49
53
30
40
50
60
'90 '91 '92 '93 '94 '95 '96 '97 '98 '99 '00 '01
Nonhazardous Solid Waste Management and Landfill Capacity in Illinois: 2001 ! 7
Active landfills accepting waste each year Available landfill space, millions of gate cubic yards
Millions of gate cubic yards Wastes landfilled, millions of gate cubic yards
Municipal Waste
Management Plans
and Plan Updates
The Solid Waste Planning and
Recycling Act requires all Illinois
counties and the city of Chicago to
develop, adopt and implement 20-year
municipal waste management plans.
Every five years, each plan must
identify changes in planning areas,
evaluate progress in the plan
implementation and, if necessary,
revise plan recommendations and
goals. The county also has the option
of updating its solid waste generation
rate. The plan is then submitted to the
Illinois EPA for review and comment.
Questions concerning these plans
should be directed to the appropriate
local administrators listed in Appendix
K of this report. Due dates for plan
updates are found in Appendix L.
Municipal Waste Management in Illinois: 2001
Landfilling continues to play the largest role in the handling of the
municipal waste stream in Illinois. It is estimated that almost three-quarters
of the waste stream is handled using this method of
disposal. Nationally, the figure is 55.3 percent.
Municipal waste figures accepted at Illinois landfills (Appendix C)
show that 16.0 million tons was disposed in 52 landfills. This
amount shows 74.1 percent of the municipal waste stream as
managed by the state’s landfills.
Local governments have surveyed haulers and recycling centers to
determine the amount of recycling in their areas. Recycling surveys
voluntarily submitted by recycling coordinators report almost 5.3
million tons of the waste stream is recycled. This number includes
data from other years, and is viewed as the most recent available
data (see page 9). Waste generation and recycling figures were
prepared in many cases during the solid waste planning process
several years ago. In many cases, no new research has been done
since then. But, with new census data, the waste generation rates are
sometimes updated due to changes in population.
Composting
1.5%
Recycling
24.4%
Landfilling
74.1%
Many compost sites are located at landfills to manage landscape
waste, which is banned from disposal. Agency permitted compost
facilities accepted almost 334 thousand tons in 2001. The
percentage composted is 1.5 percent of the municipal waste stream.
(See table on page 10.)
The previous year, in 2000, a small amount of suburban Chicago’s
waste was incinerated at Robbins Resource Recovery Facility.
Because this site closed, it was no longer available as an option for
solid waste disposal in 2001.
8 ! Nonhazardous Solid Waste Management and Landfill Capacity in Illinois: 2001
Municipal Waste Management in Illinois: 2001
Results of Illinois Recycling
Economics Study
The National Recycling Economic
Information Study, conducted by R.W.
Beck1 on behalf of the National
Recycling Coalition 2 (NRC), and
commissioned by the U.S. EPA,
identified and documented the impact
of the recycling/reuse industries in the
United States. Illinois was among 12
states researched. Preliminary results
show that Illinois hosts over 2,400
recycling and re-use establishments
employing 56,000 people, generating a
$1.8 billion payroll and earning $12
billion in annual revenues. Visit the
NRC website at www.nrc-recycle.org
for more detail.
1 R.W. Beck Inc. contact: Jonathan Burgiel at 407-
422-4911 or jburgiel@rwbeck.com
2 NRC contact: Kate Krebs at 202-347-0450 ext. 23 or
KateK@nrc-recycle.org
Recycled amount is increasing
The amount of municipal waste recycled in the state differed only
slightly from 2000’s figure, which also rounded to 5.3 million tons.
The percent recycled dropped slightly from 35.1 percent in 2000 to
33.6 percent in 2001 state-wide. Many local governments report that
they have not only met, but have exceeded local recycling goals
mandated by the Solid Waste Planning and Recycling Act.
Municipal Wastes Generated & Recycled
Estimated Waste Generated Waste Recycled_
Region Population Tons PCD 1 Tons Percent
One: Northwestern Illinois 800,195 828,199 5.7 238,608 28.8
Two: Chicago Metropolitan 8,297,558 11,463,274 7.6 4,256,119 37.1
Three: Peoria/Quad Cities 760,096 930,493 6.7 214,230 23.0
Four: East Central Illinois 855,804 947,291 6.1 193,224 20.4
Five: West Central Illinois 560,176 463,461 4.5 113,633 24.5
Six: Metropolitan East St. Louis 705,844 609,020 4.7 186,758 30.7
Seven: Southern Illinois 436,414 388,168 4.9 52,298 13.5
Total 12,416,087 15,629,906 6.9 5,254,870 33.6
1 PCD = Pounds per capita per day.
Who to Call for Help With
Specific Waste Problems
The Illinois EPA supports a number of
waste disposal and recycling efforts aimed
at helping households and selected
institutions safely dispose of household
hazardous waste, scrap tires, leftover
paint, used motor oil, educational
hazardous waste and more.
To obtain the latest information about these
programs, or to learn the dates, times and
locations of drop-off collections, please call
one of the following:
" Dan Rion, at 217-782-9294,
concerning scheduling of Household
Hazardous Waste collections;
" Tap Hefley or Todd Marvel, at
217-785-8604, concerning scrap/used
tire disposal;
" Dave Saladino, at 217/558-4115
concerning high school laboratory
hazardous waste and used fluorescent
and high intensity light bulb disposal;
" Dave Anderson, at 217/558-2574,
concerning what to do with waste paint
and used motor oil.
State Solid Waste & Recycling Grants
The Department of Commerce and Community Affairs (DCCA),
Bureau of Energy and Recycling supports a number of grants to
governments, not-for-profit organizations and businesses.
For information about grant programs promoting recycling efforts,
contact these DCCA staff members.
Division and Contact Person Phone
" Recycling & Waste Reduction Division
Reg Willis, Manager 217-782-7887
" Resource Recovery Section
217-524-0933
" Resource Development Section
217-785-2006
" Education, Research and Development
Ron Swager, Manager 217-785-3498
For information about recycling publications contact the Solid
Waste Clearinghouse at 800-252-8955 (Illinois only) or
217-785-0211 (out-of-state).
For information regarding the U.S. EPA/National Recycling
Coalition/R.W. Beck study on recycling economics, contact Ron
Swager at the number above.
Nonhazardous Solid Waste Management and Landfill Capacity in Illinois: 2001 ! 9
Delegated inspection
program
The Illinois EPA has delegated
inspection authority to 19 county
agencies, the Ambraw Valley Solid
Waste Agency and Chicago. This
program takes advantage of additional
manpower at the local level.
Delegation agreements authorize these
agencies to conduct many of the duties
that would otherwise be performed by
an Illinois EPA field office: investigating
suspected violations of land pollution
laws and reports of open dumping, and
inspecting landfills, transfer stations
and compost facilities permitted
through the Agency’s Bureau of Land.
Inspections can also include industrial
landfills and monofills (private facilities
that do not accept municipal solid
waste).
Thousands of inspections of pollution
control facilities and other sites were
completed by delegated agencies
during 2001. These efforts at the local
level stimulate the regulated
community to take all necessary steps
to comply with environmental
regulations. Also, prompt response by
local authorities does much to curtail
open dumping, unfortunately a
common practice throughout Illinois.
The Agency is developing a
comprehensive training manual for the
field operations personnel at the
Agency’s regional offices and for our
delegated partners.
Our newest delegated partner is Saline
County as of March 20, 2002; the
program being administered by
Egyptian Health Department in
Southeastern Illinois. "
Composting is increasing by seven percent a year
Landscape wastes were banned from Illinois landfills beginning July
1, 1990. Since then the number of active compost facilities has
begun to approach the number of active landfills. The number of
compost sites now stands at 43.
As might be expected, composting is most common in Region Two,
where 54.6 percent of the state’s landscape wastes in 2001 were
processed.
Compost facilities report to the Agency each year the quantities of
wastes accepted. In 2001, the state’s compost facilities processed
almost 334,000 tons of landscape wastes, an 8.1 percent decrease
from 2001’s total of 363,088 tons.
Landscape wastes processed in 2001 represent only about two
percent of total wastes landfilled in Illinois that year. While this
percentage is small, it is important to note that composting kept
almost 334,000 tons of wastes out of landfills. Each ton of waste not
landfilled is a ton of landfill capacity preserved.
Compost Facilities: Wastes Handled 2001
Active
Region Facilities Tons
One: Northwestern Illinois 6 53,345
Two: Chicago Metropolitan 17 182,320
Three: Peoria/Quad Cities 5 17,511
Four: East Central Illinois 5 20,993
Five: West Central Illinois 2 1,124
Six: Metropolitan East St. Louis 7 57,121
Seven: Southern Illinois 1 1,287
Total 43 333,701
10 ! Nonhazardous Solid Waste Management and Landfill Capacity in Illinois: 2001
Green Government Program
Established
In April 2000, Governor George Ryan
established “Green Illinois”, an ambitious
environmental program. One part of this
program is the Green Government program
that calls on state government to lead by
example to protect the environment.
Specifically, executive state agencies must
find ways to incorporate environmentally
sustainable practices into their day-to-day
management and operations. By
conserving resources, reducing energy use
and cutting down on waste generation,
government facilities can save money and
improve the environment at the same time.
The Governor created the Illinois Green
Government Coordinating Council to help
state agencies meet these goals.
The Illinois Green Government
Coordinating Council’s Annual Report,
published in October 2001, details
progress that state government made to
protect the environment and conserve
natural resources in its own facilities and
operations. State executive agencies are
incorporating more environmentally
sustainable practices into their day-to-day
functions, from the goods and services
purchased, to the energy and water used,
to the waste generated.
Environmental improvement projects range
from expanding recycling programs, to
educating employees to turn unused
equipment off, to converting to cleaner
printing techniques. Examples include
purchase of more environmentally friendly
products, such as flexible fuel ethanol
vehicles, energy-efficient office machines
and recycled content products.
The Council also published a resource
guide and established an electronic mail
list server to help state agencies assess
environmental impacts and assist in
identifying further environmentally sound
practices.
Further recommendations include
establishing policy for sustainable building
construction practices and an
environmental products guide for state
agency purchasing agents. For more
details, contact Kevin Greene, Office of
Pollution Prevention, at 217-785-0833.
In 2001, 29 of 80 active transfer stations (35.8 percent) voluntarily
reported handling nearly 4.9 million tons of trash, or nearly 30.5
percent of wastes landfilled statewide. If the number of active
landfills falls from 52 in 2001, to the mid-40s, or even the upper-
30s, over the next decade, the number of transfer stations can be
expected to grow, as will the amount of wastes they will handle.
The Agency attempted to get data from transfer stations, but not all
of the facilities chose to voluntarily return the survey; so transferred
amounts are under-represented in this report.
Transfer station and recycling center regulations to be
drafted in 2002
It is anticipated that draft regulations for recycling centers and
transfer stations will be promulgated during 2002. It would be
advisable to check the Illinois Pollution Control Board web site
www.ipcb.state.il.us if interested in the status of the rule-making
process.
Amount incinerated for energy recovery or volume
reduction is zero
For business reasons, Robbins Resource Recovery Facility closed in
late 2000.
State of Illinois Government leads by example
See the sidebar for more information about Governor Ryan’s
attempt to document positive environmental practices of state
agencies managed under the Governor’s Office.
Transfer Stations: Wastes Handled in 2001
Active
Region Facilities Tons
One: Northwestern Illinois 1 5 121,449
Two: Chicago Metropolitan 1 54 4,691,385
Three: Peoria/Quad Cities 1 4 8,500
Four: East Central Illinois 1 6 33,100
Five: West Central Illinois 1 3 N/A
Six: Metropolitan East St. Louis 1 5 8,320
Seven: Southern Illinois 1 3 N/A
Total 80 4,862,754
1 Each region contains active sites that did not report amounts of waste
accepted.
Nonhazardous Solid Waste Management and Landfill Capacity in Illinois: 2001 ! 11
Pollution Control Facility
Siting Costs in Chicago
Metropolitan Area
There are no large tracts of land left in
Cook County to build municipal waste
landfills. Development and construction
of a transfer station requires smaller
parcels of land ranging in size from six to
14 acres. Smaller properties might
suffice, but design costs would escalate.
Total costs to site a transfer station in
Chicago might range from $150,000 -
$300,000 plus property costs. Included in
this total are costs associated with legal
negotiations and engineering design.
Additional costs in an urban area would
be those required to follow fire and
building codes.
Transfer stations storing landscape
waste for less than 24 hours do not
require local siting approval, but do
require an Agency permit. Municipal
waste transfer stations that accept refuse
require local siting approval and have set
back limitations.
Because the Chicago Department of
Environment has additional permitting
and zoning requirements, it sometimes is
easier to site a transfer station in the
suburbs rather than in the City.
Examples of recent construction of
transfer stations show extremes between
state-of-the-art facilities and low tech
facilities. For example, Wheeling
Township Transfer Station (Cook Co./
Glenview) built in 1994, at a cost of $12
million. On the DuPage and Kane County
border, built in March 1999, DuKane
Transfer Station’s entire cost is
estimated at one million dollars. This
includes the purchase of 5.2 acres, siting
studies, design work, engineering
studies, application fee of $120,000,
hearing and court costs. This facility
manages approximately 1,500 tons per
day and is a fairly low-tech operation.
Details about each of these sites (and
others developed and constructed
recently) are found in Region 2 section of
this report on pages R2.23 to R2.83.
Permitting Requirements of Illinois EPA
New landfills or landfill expansions cannot be built unless the
Bureau of Land issues a permit. Issuance of a Bureau of Air permit
to a landfill identifying it as a potential new source of air pollution
must also be obtained.
An initial completeness review normally takes 30 days. If omissions
are found, the application is rejected as incomplete. The applicant
then has 35 days to provide additional information to make an
application complete.
Approval or denial of permit applications
During the review period, comments are solicited from Bureau of
Land’s Regional Office, Groundwater Assistance Unit and the Solid
Waste Unit. After review of the application, the addenda, and
comments from public officials, the general public and the regional
office, final action is ready to be taken.
If the reviewers have found the application to completely adhere to
applicable environmental regulations, then the permit is approved
outright or with special conditions. If there is something wrong with
the application then, the Permit Section denies the permit.
Once an application is found to be complete, technical reviews are
conducted. Rather than sending out a formal denial letter, the
reviewer prepares a draft denial letter which explains the areas in
the application that are deficient. The applicant has a choice of
either providing some additional information in the form of an
addenda to the original application or asking the reviewer for a
formal denial that could be appealed to the Illinois Pollution Control
Board. Additional information is usually provided. Approval or
denial of a permit application takes 180 days, unless an extension is
granted.
If the application is denied, an owner/operator could submit a new
application, appeal the Agency’s denial of the permit through the
Illinois Pollution Control Board or they could abandon the project.
Most choose to submit a new application, starting the 180-day
process over.
Permits for landfills contain detailed requirements for the design,
construction, capacity and operation of the landfills. They also
contain stringent requirements for monitoring the groundwater
beneath and around the landfill to detect releases from the landfill
that would adversely impact the quality of the groundwater. Finally,
the permit contains detailed requirements to properly “close” the
landfill once it has been filled to permitted capacity and to provide
for proper care of the landfill after it has been closed.
From time to time, the owner/operator of a landfill must modify the
facility’s permit. These modifications can address many things,
including changes in construction and/or operational practices;
construction of cells within the permitted landfill boundaries and
groundwater monitoring issues.
12 ! Nonhazardous Solid Waste Management and Landfill Capacity in Illinois: 2001
Financial Assurance
Requirements
Funding for landfill closure, post-closure
maintenance and corrective
action must be provided by the landfill
owners and operators, ensuring costs
are not borne by taxpayers. Many
different mechanisms are available to
help landfill owners prove now that
they will be able to pay later.
Financial assurance mechanisms for
landfill closure and long-term (post-closure)
care are as follows: 1) a trust
fund, 2) a surety bond, 3) Letter of
Credit, 4) closure insurance, 5) local
government financial strength test, and
6) corporate financial strength test.
Closure and long-term cost estimates
are revisited annually for active
landfills. For those which closed under
Part 807 regulations, review takes
place every two years. Costs are
updated based on the remaining
capacity in the landfill, the remaining
post-closure care period, and adjusted
for inflation. The funds available must
be adequate to cover the projected
costs.
For more information, about Illinois
regulations regarding financial
assurance contact Blake Harris,
Bureau of Land, at 217-785-8604.
This report tries to document permit actions taken on the sites in this
report. However, only those permits which change the items
mentioned in “Facility Facts” section of the landfill specification
pages are acknowledged.
For information not discussed in this report, contact the Agency’s
Freedom of Information Officers at FOIA@epa.state.il.us. You may
also fax requests on letterhead to 217/782-9290. Be very specific in
your request for information and include the site number, if
possible.
Closure and post-closure care time period
Once a landfill has received its permitted volume of waste, it must
be “closed” in accordance with an approved plan and with Illinois
landfill regulations. Proper closure of a landfill includes establishing
a proper grading plan to allow for precipitation to run off the
landfill, constructing a final cover over the waste to minimize the
amount of precipitation which can infiltrate the landfill, establishing
a vegetative cover system over the final cover system to minimize
its erosion and finalizing the gas and leachate management systems
of the landfill to ensure that the gas and leachate generated in the
landfill after the landfill is closed can be properly managed.
After a landfill has been properly closed, it must then receive at
least 30 years of post-closure care. Proper post-closure care includes
maintaining the vegetative cover to ensure it does not erode,
monitoring the groundwater to ensure there have been no releases to
it from the landfill and removing the gas and leachate generated in
the landfill to ensure that they do not have adverse impacts on the
area surrounding the landfill.
Closure activities, depending on the site, may include: capping the
landfill; installing monitoring devices if they are not already in
place; providing topsoil, seeding, and mulching as necessary; and
possibly converting the land for follow-up use. Routine post-closure
care continues for 30 years after a landfill stops accepting waste and
includes maintaining the surface cover, monitoring gas, flaring or
collecting any gas, monitoring, pumping and transporting any
leachate, and monitoring groundwater. Estimates for both closure
and post-closure care costs must be based on an engineering
estimate of the cost for a third party to perform the necessary work
and maintenance. Financial assurance is also required for corrective
action, such as remediation of groundwater contamination. !
Nonhazardous Solid Waste Management and Landfill Capacity in Illinois: 2001 " 13
Solid Waste Landfill Terms
Defined
Closure: procedure that a solid or
hazardous waste management facility
undergoes to cease operations and
ensure protection of human health and
the environment in the future.
Final Cover System: the materials or
layers (i.e., erosion/vegetative layer,
infiltration/barrier layer, drainage layer)
installed over the top of a closed landfill
to minimize infiltration and erosion.
Leachate: any liquid, including any
suspended components in the liquid,
which percolated through or drained
from waste.
Operation & Maintenance: activities
conducted at a site to ensure that the
treatment and containment system is
functioning properly. This may include:
grading, seeding and mowing the
vegetative layer, monitoring and
repairing gas and leachate collection
systems; treating collected leachate;
groundwater monitoring and
maintaining and repairing the physical
integrity of drainage control structures.
Response Action: an action taken to
reduce or control risks to human health
and the environment.
Site investigation: a study designed to
gather data needed to determine the
nature and extent of contamination.
Illinois FIRST -- 33 Abandoned Landfills Targeted for
Clean-up
In March 1999, as part of Governor George H. Ryan’s Illinois
FIRST legislation (a mechanism to provide funds for infrastructure,
roads, schools and transit), the General Assembly appropriated $50
million to remediate 33 abandoned landfills located in 21 counties
throughout the state. Although these landfills stopped accepting
waste, they were not properly closed. Resulting risks include
leachate entering the groundwater aquifers and migrating into a
drinking water source, contaminated surface waters from run-off,
explosions from methane build-up, odors, presence of vectors and
other rodents, exposure to pathogens, infectious wastes or hazardous
substances present in the exposed refuse and uneven terrain or
landslides due to differential settling or unstable slopes.
The remediation work at these landfills will include pumping out
accumulated leachate (rainwater that has been in contact with the
decaying garbage), constructing a new and improved soil cover to
prevent future rainwater infiltration into the landfill, grading and
slope stabilization and seeding for vegetation. Several years of post-remedial
care will also be necessary for maintenance and
monitoring.
After the remedial work is complete, as many as 12 of these
abandoned landfills may be available for use as safe open space,
such as parks and wildlife areas, or serve municipal functions as city
garages or parking lots.
A total of 33 abandoned landfills are identified that require State
funding to insure protection of public health and the environment.
The Illinois FIRST funding includes $10 million each for five State
Fiscal Years during 2000-2004.
Separate appropriations totaling $15 million were approved for
stabilizing and remedial work on what the Illinois EPA had
identified as the “worst” site, Paxton II in southwest Chicago, due to
an imminent threat of a collapse of a portion of the landfill.
The Illinois EPA will make every effort to recover the State’s
remedial costs from the responsible parties.
For more information on Illinois EPA’s response, a report entitled
Illinois First Abandoned Landfill Program is available on our
Bureau of Land website; click on the clean-up programs and state
response program authority links. An update is available each year
on the internet. For more information contact Neelu Reddy, at
217-524-4826. #
14 ! Nonhazardous Solid Waste Management and Landfill Capacity in Illinois: 2001
JO DAVIESS
STEPHENSON
KANE
GRUNDY
ROCK ISLAND
PUTNAM
KANKAKEE
MERCER
KNOX
STARK
LIVINGSTON
WOODFORD IROQUOIS
MARSHALL
McLEAN FORD
HANCOCK
McDONOUGH FULTON
PEORIA
TAZEWELL
DeWITT CHAMPAIGN
ADAMS
SCHUYLER
MASON LOGAN
BROWN CASS
MENARD
MACON
MOULTRIE
DOUGLAS
EDGAR
GREENE CLARK
MACOUPIN MONTGOMERY
SHELBY
COLES
JERSEY
CUMBERLAND
MADISON
JASPER
BOND
EFFINGHAM CRAWFORD
FAYETTE
MARION
CLAY RICHLAND
LAWRENCE
MONROE
RANDOLPH
WASHINGTON JEFFERSON
PERRY
WAYNE
FRANKLIN
PIKE
JACKSON
WHITE
WILLIAMSON
SALINE
UNION
GALLATIN
JOHNSON
POPE
CLINTON
HARDIN
PULASKI
HAMILTON
ST. CLAIR
SCOTT
MORGAN SANGAMON
CHRISTIAN
COOK
WHITESIDE DuPAGE LEE
HENRY
BUREAU LaSALLE
WILL
WINNEBAGO
McHENRY LAKE
CARROLL OGLE
WARREN
DeKALB
KENDALL
Region One:
Northwestern Illinois
Region Three:
Peoria/
Quad Cities
Region Five:
West Central
Illinois
Region Six:
Metropolitan
East St.Louis
Region Two:
Chicago
Metropolitan
Region Four:
East Central
Illinois
Region Seven:
Southern Illinois
Illinois Environment Protection Agency Administrative Regions
Nonhazardous Solid Waste Management and Landfill Capacity in Illinois: 2001 v15
Regional offices are located in Rockford, Des Plaines, Peoria, Champaign, Springfield, Collinsville and Marion
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