28
These figures do not reflect the efforts that Illinois EPA undertakes after the inspection to return
the facility to compliance with all applicable environmental requirements. Therefore, as of this
date, the compliance rate among those used tire facilities inspected in 2000 is significantly
higher than indicated above.
Open Dumping
Open dumping of waste is an illegal activity and poses a variety of health, safety, and
environmental threats; fire and explosion; source of toxic gases; injury to children playing on or
around the dump sites; habitat for disease-carrying mosquitoes, flies, and rodents; damage to
natural resources; and decrease in the quality of life to nearby residents and the local
community. In addition, open dumps encourage more open dumping.
Figure 33 shows that in
2000, the Illinois EPA
received 855 open dumping
complaints out of which
resulted in the discovery of
812 open dump sites by the
Illinois EPA, in partnership
with 18-delegated counties.
Compliance and
enforcement actions resulted
in the cleanup of 400 sites
(51%) of these sites
discovered in 2000. The
backlog of open dump sites
needing cleanup discovered
since 1997 has decreased to
12%.
Since 1997, 3573 open
dump sites have been
discovered from which 3161
(88%) have been cleaned up
shown in Figure 34. About
50% of the open dumps are
cleaned up within 12
months of their discovery.
Approximately 290,300
cubic yards of waste were
removed and properly
disposed from these open
dumps during 1997-1999
(2000 data not currently
available).
Open Dump Sites Needing Cleanup
1069
912
780 812
405 389 412
518
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
1997 1998 1999 2000
Year
New Open Dump Sites Discovered Yearly
Remaining Open Dump Sites Needing Clean Up
Figure 33
Open Dump Sites Cleaned Up
1069
1981
553
1576
3573
2761
2393
3161
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
3500
4000
1997 1998 1999 2000
Year
Total Number of Open Dump Sites
Total Number Open Dump Sites Cleaned Up
Figure 34
