Illinois Bureau of Land November 2004
Environmental 1021 North Grand Avenue East
Protection Agency P.O. Box 19276
Springfield, IL 62794-9276
IEPA/BOL/04-021
Nonhazardous Solid Waste
Management and Landfill
Capacity in Illinois
Printed on recycled paper
2003 Annual
Report
Topics Covered
Waste disposed in landfills,
2001-2003
Remaining disposal capacity
as of Jan. 1, 2003, and Jan.
1, 2004
Specification pages for 56
landfills, 111 transfer stations
and 59 compost sites
Waste generated and recycled,
2003
Waste handled by transfer
stations, 2001-2003
Waste composted,
2001-2003
Nonhazardous
Solid Waste Management
And Landfill Capacity
In Illinois: 2003
Reporting period for waste disposal: Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, 2003
Reporting date for landfill capacity: Jan. 1, 2004
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 Avenue East
P.O. Box 19276
Springfield, IL 62794-9276
Printed on recycled paper
Additional Information and Acknowledgements ........................................................................................vii
Photo Credits ......................................................................................................................................... viii
Preface .....................................................................................................................................................ix
How to Use the Illinois EPA Landfill Capacity Report ................................................................................ x
Executive Summary .................................................................................................................................xi
Introduction .............................................................................................................................................. 1
Maps ...................................................................................................................................................... 17
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 Landfill Owners and Operators: Alphabetic by Facility .....................................A1
Appendix B: Solid Waste Landfill Owners and Operators: Alphabetic by County ....................................B1
Appendix C: Solid Waste Landfills Ranked by Waste Received: 2003 ....................................................C1
Appendix D: Solid Waste Landfills Ranked by Remaining Capacities; as of Jan. 1, 2004 .......................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 Waste Received: 2003 ..................................... 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 Waste Received: 2003 ........................... 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: 2003 iii
State Solid Waste Surcharge Fees ........................................................................................................... 2
National Figures for 2000 Reported by USEPA ......................................................................................... 4
State of Origin of Waste Received at Illinois Landfills in 2003 ................................................................... 5
Illinois Landfills: Waste Accepted in 2003 Versus 2002 ............................................................................. 5
Illinois Landfills: Remaining Capacities Jan. 1, 2004 Versus Jan. 1, 2003 ................................................. 6
Waste Disposed and Landfill Capacity Per Capita; Landfill Life Expectancy ............................................. 6
Statewide Landfill Capacity Is Abundant Despite Same Number of Facilities ............................................ 7
New Facilities Permitted to be Developed or Constructed ......................................................................... 8
Municipal Waste Management in Illinois: 2003 .......................................................................................... 8
Municipal Waste Generated & Recycled ................................................................................................... 9
Compost Facilities: Waste Handled in 2003 ............................................................................................ 10
Transfer Stations: Waste Handled in 2003 .............................................................................................. 11
Local Agencies Delegated to Inspect Pollution Control Facilities for the Illinois EPA (map) ..................... 17
Illinois Landfills, 2003 (map) .................................................................................................................... 19
Landfills: Active, Closed & Under Development in 2003 (map) ................................................................ 21
Landfills Receiving Waste from Other States in 2003 (map) .................................................................... 23
Illinois Environmental Protection Agency Administrative Regions (map) ................................................. 25
Region One: Landfills and Transfer Stations in 2003 (map depicting capacity gains or losses) ............R1.1
Region One: Landfills: Waste Accepted 2003; Remaining Capacities Jan. 1, 2004 ..............................R1.2
Region One: Transfer Stations: Waste Handled 2003 ..........................................................................R1.3
Region One: Compost Facilities: Waste Accepted 2003 ......................................................................R1.4
Region One: Municipal Waste Recycled ..............................................................................................R1.4
Region Two: Chicago Metro Area Landfills and Transfer Stations 2003 (map) .....................................R2.0
Region Two: Landfills: Waste Accepted 2003; Remaining Capacities Jan. 1, 2004 ..............................R2.3
Region Two: Solid Waste Statistics ......................................................................................................R2.3
Region Two: Transfer Stations: Waste Handled 2003 ..........................................................................R2.6
Region Two: Compost Facilities: Waste Accepted 2003 ......................................................................R2.6
Region Two: Region 2’s Inactive or Closed Compost Sites ..................................................................R2.6
Region Two: Municipal Waste Recycled ..............................................................................................R2.7
Region Three: Landfills and Transfer Stations in 2003 (map depicting capacity gains or losses) .........R3.1
Region Three: Landfills: Waste Accepted 2003; Remaining Capacities Jan. 1, 2004 ...........................R3.2
Region Three: Transfer Stations: Waste Handled 2003 .......................................................................R3.3
Region Three: Compost Facilities: Waste Accepted 2003 ....................................................................R3.4
Region Three: Municipal Waste Recycled ............................................................................................R3.4
Region Four: Landfills and Transfer Stations in 2003 (map depicting capacity gains or losses) ...........R4.1
Region Four: Landfills: Waste Accepted 2003; Remaining Capacities Jan. 1, 2004 .............................R4.2
Region Four: Transfer Stations: Waste Handled 2003 .........................................................................R4.3
Region Four: Compost Facilities: Waste Accepted 2003 ......................................................................R4.3
Region Four: Municipal Waste Recycled ..............................................................................................R4.4
Maps and Tables
iv Nonhazardous Solid Waste Management and Landfill Capacity in Illinois: 2003
Region Five: Landfills and Transfer Stations in 2003 (map depicting capacity gains or losses) ............R5.1
Region Five: Landfills: Waste Accepted 2003; Remaining Capacities Jan. 1, 2004 ..............................R5.2
Region Five: Transfer Stations: Waste Handled 2003 ..........................................................................R5.3
Region Five: Compost Facilities: Waste Accepted 2003 ......................................................................R5.3
Region Five: Municipal Waste Recycled ..............................................................................................R5.4
Region Six: Landfills and Transfer Stations in 2003 (map depicting capacity gains or losses) .............R6.1
Region Six: Landfills: Waste Accepted 2003; Remaining Capacities Jan. 1, 2004 ...............................R6.2
Region Six: Transfer Stations: Waste Handled 2003 ............................................................................R6.3
Region Six: Compost Facilities: Waste Accepted 2003 ........................................................................R6.4
Region Six: Municipal Waste Recycled ................................................................................................R6.4
Region Seven: Landfills and Transfer Stations in 2003 (map depicting capacity gains or losses) ........R7.1
Region Seven: Landfills: Waste Accepted 2003; Remaining Capacities Jan. 1, 2004 ..........................R7.2
Region Seven: Transfer Stations: Waste Handled 2003 .......................................................................R7.3
Region Seven: Compost Facilities: Waste Accepted 2003 ...................................................................R7.3
Region Seven: Municipal Waste Recycled ...........................................................................................R7.4
Maps and Tables
Nonhazardous Solid Waste Management and Landfill Capacity in Illinois: 2003 v
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
Division of Land Pollution Control
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 Avenue 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. Primary Editor was Ellen Robinson of the Waste
Reduction and Compliance Section, Bureau of Land.
The report is printed in the Agency’s print shop. Many thanks to
Tom Davis who provided publishing advice to the Primary
Editor. Nina Dugger provided editing. Excellent typing and
design was provided by Judy Brubaker, the Section’s clerical
support. Photos were chosen by Terry Bent of Allied Waste,
David Gambach, Ellen Robinson, Gary Steele and Robert
Wiatrolik. Poems were from fifth and sixth graders throughout
the State who won our 2003-2004 contest. Full length, fold-out
State of Illinois and Chicago Metropolitan area maps using GIS
software, were designed by Ted Prescott.
Illinois EPA Bureau of Land personnel contributed their time and
expertise to the development of this publication. Computer data
calculation was provided by Darrel Watkins, ensuring better
data accuracy throughout the report. Assistance with compost
site permitting and inspecting was provided by Gary Cima and
Gary Steele. Neelu Reddy of the Remedial Project Management
Section provided information about our abandoned landfill
program. Jim Moore explained closure procedures for landfills.
The Agency also wishes to thank the 18 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 covered in this report. Our seven regional offices
and their regional managers are responsible for inspecting all
Agency-permitted pollution control facilities.
Additional Information and Acknowledgements
Nonhazardous Solid Waste Management and Landfill Capacity in Illinois: 2003 vii
Cover Photo: Photo of Sangamon Valley Landfill, Springfield, by Rich Johnson, Assistant Regional
Manager Illinois EPA, Springfield Regional Office
Page 1 Photo of a Chicago transfer station by Ellen Robinson, Project Manager, Illinois EPA,
Springfield Headquarters
Region 1: Essay: “Waste on Earth”, Kim Whitfield, Oak Grove East School, Bartonville
Region 2: Photo of Hooker Street Transfer Station, Chicago by Ellen Robinson, Project Manager,
Illinois EPA, Springfield Headquarters
Region 3: Poem: “Put Waste in Its Place”, Kora Bestold, student, Oak Grove East School,
Bartonville
Region 4: Aerial photo of Livingston Landfill, Pontiac, provided by Michael Friend, R. Russell and
Associates, Pontiac and edited by Barbara Nowack of Andrews Environmental
Engineering, Springfield
Region 5: Photo of Sangamon Valley Landfill, Springfield, by Hannah Van Zutphen-Kann, published
in The State Journal-Register, February 12, 2004, reprinted with permission
Region 6: Photo of Roxana Landfill, Roxana, by David Terry, Solid Waste Inspector, Madison
County Planning and Development, Edwardsville
Region 7: Poem: “Trash Could Ruin Us All!” Kelsey Swindle, student, Lisle Junior High School, Lisle
Landfills
Appendices A-D: Photo courtesy of David Farley, operator, Sangamon Valley Landfill, Springfield
Transfer Stations
Appendices E-G: Photo of Waste Management/Springfield Transfer Station by Dan Erni, Environmental
Engineer, Waste Management, Taylorville
Compost Sites
Appendices H-J: Photo of Dirksen Parkway Compost Facility, Springfield, by Rochelle Gillespie,
Associate Sanitarian, Sangamon County Department of Public Health, Springfield
Solid Waste Planning & Recycling
Appendices K-M:Recycling Activities at Lake Area Recycling Center, Springfield. Photo by Robert
Wiatrolik, Photographer, Illinois EPA, Springfield Headquarters
Photo Credits
viii Nonhazardous Solid Waste Management and Landfill Capacity in Illinois: 2003
A lthough the capacity remaining in Illinois landfills declined
slightly, the available space is still adequate and should
serve our citizens for at least another 12 years. In this, the
Agency’s 17th annual report on landfill disposal and available
landfill capacity in Illinois, we report to you not only the remaining
capacity, but many other useful facts about landfills and pollution
control facilities throughout the state.
Since its inception in 1970, the Illinois EPA has overseen the
development and operation of a productive system of modern
sanitary landfills. The Agency continues to ensure 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.
In 2003, the number of active landfills in Illinois accepting waste
was 50. Regional capacity, however, varied tremendously. Region
4, which includes counties in East Central Illinois, has about four
remaining years. The Chicago Metropolitan Region had five years
of landfill capacity remaining at the end of 2003.
In July 2003, Sangamon Valley Landfill, Springfield re-opened
after approval was received for a 50.31 acre lateral expansion that
added 5.1 million cubic yards of airspace for waste disposal.
In October 2003, Milam Recycling and Disposal Facility, East St.
Louis provided a 4.75 million cubic yards expansion to the state,
adding 19.5 cubic yards of airspace for waste disposal.
Other landfills that expanded or were constructed at the beginning
of 2004, include Winnebago Reclamation Services, Rockford;
Prairie View Recycling and Disposal Facility, Wilmington; Envirofil
of Illinois Inc, Macomb; Indian Creek Landfill #2, Hopedale; and
Perry Ridge, DuQuoin. More about these facilities will be in the
18th annual report.
In 2003, there were additionally 91 active transfer stations and 38
active compost facilities that help manage the waste generated in
Illinois.
Additionally, the Illinois EPA’s seven regional offices and 18
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.
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: 2003 ix
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, transfer stations and compost
facilities. 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 2003, 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 56 landfills, 111 transfer stations and 59 compost facilities.
Those sites included accepted some waste in 2001, 2002 and/or 2003.
Landfill details are found in Appendices A through D; transfer station details are found in
Appendices E through G; landscape waste compost facility information is found in Appendices H
through J; the contact list for local (county) solid waste planning and recycling coordinators is
found in Appendix K; in Appendix L, information is found about updated local (county) solid waste
plans; and found in Appendix M is information about local municipal waste generation and
recycling.
Additionally, this 17th edition of the report contains a state map designed with GIS software
showing locations of Illinois landfills. A Chicago Metropolitan area map also shows the locations
of transfer stations in addition to the location of landfills.
How to Use the Illinois EPA Landfill Capacity Report
x Nonhazardous Solid Waste Management and Landfill Capacity in Illinois: 2003
T HIS IS THE ILLINOIS EPA’S 17TH ANNUAL REPORT
describing the management of nonhazardous municipal
solid waste by the state’s solid waste landfills, transfer
stations and compost facilities.
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 in this report are each facility’s location and hours of
operation, tipping fee, quantities of wastes received for the last
three years (2001, 2002 and 2003), in both gate cubic yards
and gate tons; the landfill’s certified remaining capacity for the
last two reporting dates Jan. 1, 2004, and Jan. 1, 2003, in gate
cubic yards; solid waste management fees paid to the State in
2003; the Agency Regional 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 and compost facility. In all, this report
includes details of 56 landfills, 111 transfer stations and 59
compost facilities. Any landfill, transfer station or compost site
that accepted waste in 2001, 2002 and/or 2003 is included in
the report. The list of active pollution control facilities during
2003 includes 50 landfills, 91 transfer stations and 38 compost
sites.
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 on the first day of the following year.
During 2003, 50 landfills reported receiving a total of 57 million
gate cubic yards (17.3 million gate tons) of waste. This volume
was almost 2.4 million gate cubic yards more than the total
received during 2002, a 4.4 percent increase.
As of January 1, 2004, 49 landfills reported having a combined
remaining capacity of 674.6 million gate cubic yards (almost
204.4 million tons), or 26 million gate cubic yards less than on
January 1, 2003, a decline of 3.7 percent. One landfill did not
report its capacity.
Dividing wastes disposed during 2003 by capacity remaining on
January 1, 2004, indicates an overall landfill life expectancy in
Illinois of 12 years, at 2003 disposal rates and barring capacity
adjustments.
Areas to watch and monitor are the East Central Illinois area
and Chicago Metropolitan Area with four and five years of
capacity remaining respectively.
Executive Summary
Nonhazardous Solid Waste Management and Landfill Capacity in Illinois: 2003 xi
Nonhazardous
Solid Waste Management
And Landfill Capacity
2003
Introduction
MUNICIPAL 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, in Illinois, means disposed of
in Agency-permitted landfills. Waste is also handled through other
alternative means of solid waste management: recycling and
composting, after it is collected.
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 14.5
percent was incinerated. National figures for 2003 were not yet
published when this report was printed.
In 2003, Illinois landfills accepted more than 57 million gate cubic
yards of solid waste. Most Illinois waste was discarded in landfills
within our borders. Wastes entering or leaving Illinois are not
believed to noticeably affect this equation. Of all solid waste
landfilled in Illinois in 2003, 11 percent, or about 6.2 million cubic
yards or 1.9 million tons, came from 11 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 in Illinois waste is transported. Some
local solid waste coordinators may have this information. Their
contact information is found in Appendix K of this report.
Almost 37 percent of municipal waste is recycled
Much of Illinois is rural and far from recycling markets. However,
most local governments have attempted to continue recycling
education efforts, and to collect recycling data from haulers as an
additional public service.
Local recycling coordinators in Illinois claim that almost 6 million
tons of municipal waste were recycled in 2003. Total municipal
waste generated is 16.2 million tons. Dividing the amount recycled
(6 million tons) by the amount generated (16.2 million tons) equals
a 37 percent recycling rate.
Most of the counties in the Chicago Metropolitan area voluntarily
report recycling and waste generation figures annually. In this area,
there are adequate recycling markets and public interest and
recycling is high. In general, the most populated areas of the State
voluntarily report waste generation and recycling data annually to
the Illinois EPA.
What’s happening in the
solid waste industry in
Illinois?
Fifty active landfills in 2003, most
with larger capacity
In Southern Illinois, new landfills
are open or proposed and two plan
to expand
A few compost facilities are closing.
The agricultural community is
managing landscape waste at
“agronomic rates” on their farmland
Continued private ownership and
operation of landfills in Illinois
Waste transfer out of metropolitan
Chicago area into adjacent states,
and to north and central Illinois
counties continues into 2003
More transfer stations in
Chicagoland suburbs and
elsewhere in Illinois obtain local
siting and permits to operate.
2003 Annual
Report
Topics Covered
Waste disposed in landfills,
2001-2003 (in gate cubic
yards and in gate tons)
Remaining disposal capacity
as of Jan. 1, 2003, and Jan.
1, 2004 (in gate cubic yards)
Specification pages for 56
landfills, 111 transfer stations
and 59 compost sites
Waste generated and recycled,
2003 (in tons)
Waste handled by transfer
stations, 2001-2003
(in tons)
Waste composted,
2001-2003 (in tons)
Nonhazardous Solid Waste Management and Landfill Capacity in Illinois: 2003 1
Burn Barrels Outreach
Campaign
Illinois EPA began a Burn Barrel Public
Education Campaign in September
2004, with funding from U.S. EPA. The
goal of this 10-week initiative is to
educate the public about the
environmental hazards of burning
household waste and help them find
alternative disposal options. The
campaign will consist of newspaper
advertisements and radio spots
targeted in various parts of Illinois.
Local governments, including Solid
Waste & Recycling Coordinators and
delegated agencies, could become a
great asset for us in promoting this
public education campaign. Our limited
resources with combined partnerships
(federal funding) could still influence
some citizens to make better choices
for waste disposal.
Two newspaper ads may include local
contact information, and may be placed
in local newspapers. Our web site,
www.lllinoisburnbarrels.org could
link to yours. Illinois EPA brochures
and fliers or U.S. EPA brochures are
also available for distribution.
For more information, contact Robert
Fanning, Associate Director’s Office, at
217-558-6716.
New and Expanded Environmental Program Fees in
Illinois
The Illinois General Assembly approved Governor Rod R.
Blagojevich’s proposal for new and increased fees for several types
of environmental programs operated by Illinois Environmental
Protection Agency to implement federal and state regulations.
Those fees are authorized under Senate Bill 1903 (Public Act 93-32,
signed into law on June 20, 2003), and the fees became effective on
July 1, 2003, the beginning of the state fiscal year.
The fees will impact a wide range of facilities, including landfills.
Municipal waste landfill operators currently pay two fees based
upon the volume of waste received each year. Both of these fees
(Solid Waste Tipping Fee and Subtitle D Fee) have been increased
beginning with the waste received on or after July 1, 2003.
The fee depends on the total volume of waste received in a calendar
year. Operators that received more than 150,000 cubic yards of
waste in a year have the option of measuring waste by volume
(cubic yards) or weight (tons) and deciding which unit to use to
calculate the fee payment. Operators that receive less than 150,000
cubic yards in a year might fall into one of four other fee payment
categories (see table below). These categories have remained the
same.
Notices were sent by Illinois EPA to current permit-holders
specifying their obligations under the new fee schedule. Permit-holders
should be aware that failure to pay fees when they are due
could result in a referral to the Attorney General’s Office and
potential penalties, pursuant to statute.
However, solid waste surcharges paid to local governments remain
the same as those mentioned in the Illinois Environmental
Protection Act, Section 22.15(j).
Additional information or assistance is available by contacting the
Bureau of Land Financial Management Unit at 217-524-4337.
2 Nonhazardous Solid Waste Management and Landfill Capacity in Illinois: 2003
State Solid Waste Surcharge Fees
would pay a new and a new
Landfills Receiving: solid waste fee of: Subtitle D Fee
greater than 150,000 cu. yds./yr. $2.00/ton or $0.95/cy $0.22/ton or $0.101/cy
between 100,000 and 150,000 cu. yds./yr. $52,630 $7,020
between 50,000 and 100,000 cu. yds./yr. $23,790 $3,120
between 10,000 and 50,000 cu. yds./yr. $7,260 $975
less than 10,000 cu. yds./yr. $1,050 $210
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. Patrick Engineering Inc., Springfield, designed plans for
several counties in Illinois in 1994, which included landfill
economic studies, describing costs necessary to build 100 tons per
day (TPD), 500 TPD and 1,000 TPD landfills. As with everything,
costs have gone up, no doubt.
These costs included pre-development stage, site development, site
operation, closure costs, post-closure costs, and financing issues.
Landfills are developed cell by cell
Landfills are divided into sections called cells, which are developed
as needed, filled systematically so that specific loads of waste 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 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 2003, 50 Illinois landfills reported receiving a total of 57
million gate cubic yards (almost 17.3 million gate tons) of solid
waste. A ranking of these facilities (Appendix C) finds the top five
landfills received 50.5 percent of waste received in Illinois. This
unequal distribution of waste creates a large difference between an
average landfill, which would have accepted almost 1.1 million gate
cubic yards (about 346 thousand gate tons) of waste, and a median
landfill, which would have received about 518 thousand gate cubic
yards (almost 157 thousand gate tons).
Closings cut capacity
Three landfills closed their gates between 2001 and 2003. They
were: Region 1: Freeport Municipal Landfill #4 (ceased accepting
waste in April 2003); Region 2: Wheatland Prairie RDF (June 18,
2001) and CID RDF (Area 3 only) Dec. 31, 2003. Area 4 is a
hazardous waste site that remains open.
Landfills projecting closure dates prior to the end of 2003 are as
follows: Region 3: Streator Area Landfill #3 (expansion under
review); Region 6: South Chain of Rocks RDF (still open as of
September 2003); and in Region 7: Saline County Landfill
(temporarily closed, appealing permit denial).
Nonhazardous Solid Waste Management and Landfill Capacity in Illinois: 2003 3
Delegated Inspection
Program
The Illinois EPA has delegated
inspection authority to 17 county
agencies, the Ambraw Valley Solid
Waste Agency, and Chicago. This
program takes advantage of additional
staff resources 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 2003. 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 still a
common practice throughout Illinois.
In 2003, a team of county and Agency
staff developed a solid waste
inspection training manual for its field
operations personnel at the Agency’s
regional offices and for our delegated
partners.
Average Illinois Landfill,
2003
Waste Disposed
1.1 million gate cu. yds. (about 346
thousand gate tons)
Capacity Available
13.8 million gate cu. yds. (4.2 million
gate tons)
Gate Cubic Yards and Tons
Illinois landfills are required to report to
the Illinois EPA the quantities of waste
received during each calendar year.
They must also calculate how much
capacity remains available for future
waste disposal as of Jan. 1.
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 on
the landfill specification pages in each
regional section of this report.
The term “in-place cubic yards” 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. In other words 3.3 gate cubic
yards = one ton.
Landfills seek to expand
Milam Recycling Disposal Facility, East St. Louis, increased its
permitted disposal area in 2002. Streator Area Landfill #3, Streator,
and Saline County Landfill, Harrisburg plan to expand their
disposal areas in the near future.
Additional capacity at Sangamon Valley Landfill in Region Five
was unavailable until July 2003, then the new owner/operator
remedied the site’s environmental issues to appease the county
court. Illinois EPA also approved its application to re-open.
Southern Illinois Regional Landfill, DeSoto, also has a permit
application under review to expand.
USEPA’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 USEPA 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. No newer figures were available at the federal
level.
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 composted 16.5
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 & 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: 2003
Acronyms Used in this Report
AKA Also known as
CS Compost site
LF Landfill
LSW Landscape waste
MRRF Material Recycling and Recovery Facility
PPD/PCD Pounds per person per day/Pounds per capita
per day
RDF Recycling and Disposal Facility
TPD Tons per day
TPY Tons per year
TS Transfer station
Waste imported and exported in 2003
Perhaps even more revealing, state data show, in the table on bottom
of page 6, views of waste disposal and landfill capacities on a per
capita basis. Chicago Metropolitan Region has the lowest remaining
capacity per capita. There is a moratorium against landfills within
Chicago’s city limits and land prices have high values. Waste
generated by 8.6 million people of the Chicago Metropolitan region
then becomes a state-wide problem, and also affects available
capacity in adjacent states of Indiana and Wisconsin.
Siting of new landfills or expansion of existing landfills in Northwest
and Central Illinois might help alleviate this situation. Land prices
are found to be lower in these areas.
Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM),
Indianapolis, has not yet released its 2003 edition, but reported in its
“2002 Summary of Indiana Solid Waste Facility Data” that 88
percent of waste imports come from 29 Illinois counties. Almost 1.4
million tons of Illinois waste were imported into Indiana in 2002.
Illinois waste in 2002 was sent to 14 landfills in 12 Indiana counties
for disposal: Fulton, Greene, Hendricks, Lake, LaPorte, Newton,
Pike, Putnam, Vanderburgh, Vermilion, Vigo and White.
Cook County, Illinois, (County Seat, Chicago) sent to Indiana’s
landfills and transfer stations almost 1.2 million tons of waste in
2002.
Any limits to out-of-state waste disposal in other states, or capacity
shortages, would put pressure on the Chicago Metropolitan areas
waste management systems and could cause a local shortage in
landfill disposal capacity.
The tonnage of waste from Indiana counties that was sent to Illinois
landfills in 2003 as reported by them totaled 42,210 tons. Indiana’s
waste was managed by 10 Illinois landfills, located mainly in East
Central Illinois.
For a copy of Indiana’s 2003 report, contact Michelle Weddle
(IDEM) at 317-233-4624.
State of Origin of Wastes
Received at Illinois Landfills
in 20031
Eleven percent of all solid waste
landfilled in Illinois in 2003 is 6.2 million
gate cubic yards (1.9 million tons). This
is the amount which came from out-of-state.
However, waste haulers are not
required to report how much Illinois
waste they transport to landfills in other
states or from which counties (in
Illinois) waste is transported. The 2003
amount is up just one percent from the
previous year.
Most states exporting waste to Illinois
are neighbors of Illinois and share its
borders.
State of Origin Cu. Yds. Percent
Missouri 4,993,966 80%
Iowa 878,321 14%
Indiana 139,293 2%
Kentucky 5,339 < 1%
Wisconsin 165,068 3%
Other States 2 24,868 < 1%
Total 6,206,855 100%
1 Twenty-five Illinois landfills accepted
waste from 11 other states in 2003.
2 Arkansas, Georgia, Kansas,
Minnesota, Nebraska, and Tennessee
Nonhazardous Solid Waste Management and Landfill Capacity in Illinois: 2003 5
Illinois Landfills: Waste Accepted in 2003 Versus 2002
Landfills
Accepting 2003 Waste
Waste Waste Accepted, Gate Cu. Yds._ Yearly Change_____ Share of
Region 2003 1
2003 2 20023 Cu. Yds. Percent State Total
One: Northwestern Illinois 8 12,631,640 11,221,557 + 1,410,083 + 12.6 22.1
Two: Chicago Metropolitan 9 12,402,321 13,970,429 - 1,568,108 - 11.2 21.7
Three: Peoria/Quad Cities 8 4,357,705 4,036,121 + 321,584 + 8.0 7.6
Four: East Central Illinois 9 14,653,759 13,811,429 + 842,330 + 6.1 25.7
Five: West Central Illinois 5 1,849,110 1,747,874 + 101,236 + 5.8 3.2
Six: Metropolitan East St. Louis 6 9,165,066 8,168,149 + 996,917 + 12.2 16.1
Seven: Southern Illinois 5 1,990,192 1,694,507 + 295,685 + 17.4 3.5
Totals 50 57,049,793 54,650,066 + 2,399,727 + 4.4 100
1 Includes facilities that accepted municipal waste for less than one complete calendar year.
2 Includes 6,206,855 cubic yards of out-of-state waste (11% of state total) accepted by 25 Illinois landfills during 2003.
3 Includes 5,800,977 cubic yards of out-of-state waste (10% of state total) accepted by 26 Illinois landfills during 2002.
Slight capacity loss documented on Jan. 1, 2004
In a year that brought a 3.7 percent decline in landfill capacity, Southern
Illinois declined only 4.4 percent and Northwestern Illinois only 5.6
percent. The largest drop was in East Central Illinois, a 21.8 percent
decline.
The table below compares landfill remaining capacities in “snapshots”
taken Jan. 1, 2003, and Jan. 1, 2004. Capacity drops of 21.8 percent and
19.2 percent in East Central Illinois and Chicago Metropolitan areas
respectively, are somewhat counter-balanced by expansions in
Metropolitan East St. Louis, which had a capacity spurt of 10.4 percent.
Next year, capacity will be boosted by two new landfills (Prairie View
Landfill, Wilmington, and Perry Ridge Landfill, DuQuoin), four
expansions and one upgraded landfill (Indian Creek Landfill #2,
Hopedale).
6 Nonhazardous Solid Waste Management and Landfill Capacity in Illinois: 2003
Landfill Opening Planned
in Southern Illinois
Southern Illinois anticipates the
opening of Perry Ridge Landfill in
DuQuoin (Perry County) which
planned to open in March 2004.
Southern Illinois Regional Landfill
also received Illinois EPA approval to
expand on July 2, 2004.
Illinois Landfills: Remaining Capacities Jan. 1, 2004 Versus Jan. 1, 2003
Landfills
Reporting Capacity
Capacity Reported Capacity, Gate Cu. Yds.___ Yearly Change_____ Share of
Region 1-1-04 1-1-04 1-1-03 Gate Cu. Yds. Percent State Total
One: Northwestern Illinois 7 150,019,000 158,998,000 - 8,979,000 - 5.6 22.2
Two: Chicago Metropolitan 2 9 59,755,000 73,994,000 - 14,239,000 - 19.2 8.9
Three: Peoria/Quad Cities 8 179,875,000 177,195,000 + 2,680,000 + 1.5 26.7
Four: East Central Illinois 9 63,128,000 80,712,000 - 17,584,000 - 21.8 9.4
Five: West Central Illinois 5 53,924,000 51,499,000 + 2,425,000 + 4.7 8.0
Six: Metropolitan East St. Louis 6 124,149,000 112,470,000 + 11,679,000 + 10.4 18.4
Seven: Southern Illinois 3 5 43,791,000 45,794,000 - 2,003,000 - 4.4 6.5
Totals 49 674,641,000 700,662,000 - 26,021,000 - 3.7 100
1 Includes capacity at one reactivated facility: Sangamon Valley Landfill which re-opened in July 2003.
2 Does not include any capacity for Community Landfill or Prairie View Landfill (new in 2004).
3 Does not include capacity for Perry Ridge Landfill (new in 2004).
Waste Disposed and Landfill Capacity Per Capita; Landfill Life Expectancy
Estimated Waste Disposed, Cu. Yds. 1 Remaining Capacity, Cu. Yds Landfill Life
Region Population 2003 Per Capita Jan. 1, 2004 Per Capita Years2
One: Northwestern Illinois 807,640 12,631,640 15.6 150,019,000 185.7 12
Two: Chicago Metropolitan 8,576,656 12,402,321 1.4 59,755,000 7.0 5
Three: Peoria/Quad Cities 760,144 4,357,705 5.7 179,875,000 236.6 41
Four: East Central Illinois 858,790 14,653,759 17.1 63,128,000 73.5 4
Five: West Central Illinois 561,922 1,849,110 3.3 53,924,000 96.0 29
Six: Metropolitan East St. Louis 708,732 9,165,066 12.9 124,149,000 175.2 14
Seven: Southern Illinois 434,527 1,990,192 4.6 43,791,000 100.8 22
Totals 12,708,411 57,049,793 4.5 674,641,000 53.1 12
1 Amounts reported in gate cu. yds.
2 Remaining capacity divided by waste 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
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.
In 2003, 50 landfills reported accepting 57 million gate cu. yds. of waste from Illinois counties and 11 other
states besides Illinois. The 675 million cubic yards of available capacity allows for 12 years of landfill life.
Tight Regulations Force Cutbacks Pushing Survivors To Build Capacity
59 58 57 56 58 53 53 52 51 50
0
30
60
90
120
150
180
'94 '95 '96 '97 '98 '99 '00 '01 '02 '03
363 362
474
412
623
750
793
743
717 700
675
200
275
350
425
500
575
650
725
800
'94 '95 '96 '97 '98 '99 '00 '01 '02 '03 '04
51% increase
20% increase
Average Landfill Capacity Steady While Disposal Rates Remained Constant
3.5
4.4
6.1
8.2
7.2
11.1
13.3
14.7
14 13.8 13.7 13.8
0
3
6
9
12
15
'93 '94 '95 '96 '97 '98 '99 '00 '01 '02 '03 '04
42 41 41
47 47 46
40
45
50 49
53
54.6
57
30
40
50
60
'91 '92 '93 '94 '95 '96 '97 '98 '99 '00 '01 '02 '03
Nonhazardous Solid Waste Management and Landfill Capacity in Illinois: 2003 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
31% increase
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, 10 and 15 years, each plan
must identify changes in planning
areas, evaluate progress in the plan
implementation and, if necessary,
revise plan recommendations and
goals. A 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.
Contact Ellen Robinson for more
information about this requirement of
state law at 217-785-8604.
Municipal waste management in Illinois: 2003
Landfilling continues to play the largest role in the handling of
municipal waste in Illinois. It is estimated that almost 75 percent
was landfilled in 2003. Waste data collected from landfills (17.3
million tons), compost sites (366,571 tons), and the amount reported
as recycled by local recycling coordinators (about 6.0 million tons)
were added together and percentages of each were calculated.
Waste generation as calculated by recycling coordinators does not
include the composted amounts managed by homeowners, or
incineration for volume reduction using burn barrels. Neither does
the composted amount include that managed on-farm at agronomic
rates. No amount was burned in commercial incinerators in 2003 in
Illinois.
Municipal waste management computes to the following rates:
landfilling: 73.1 percent; recycling: 25.3 percent and composting:
1.6 percent. These figures as outlined below in the pie chart might
be the more accurate figures for Illinois.
Composting
1.6%
Recycling
25.3%
Landfilling
73.1%
8 Nonhazardous Solid Waste Management and Landfill Capacity in Illinois: 2003
Municipal Waste Management in Illinois: 2003
New Facilities Permitted to be Constructed or to Expand
Region Landfill Municipality
Opening
Date Details
Design Airspace
(cu. yds.)1
Six: Metro East St. Louis Milam RDF E. St. Louis 10-16-03 4.75 million exp. 19,450,000
Seven: Southern Illinois Perry Ridge DuQuoin 5-2004 141 ac. 14,872,900
1 Includes space for waste, intermediate or daily cover and capacity (in-place cubic yards)
Total 83,364,939
Five: West Central Illinois Sangamon Valley LF Springfield 7-7-03 50.31 ac. lateral exp. 5,135,625
Three: Peoria/Quad Cities Envirofil of Illinois Inc. Macomb 4-20-04 57 ac. horizontal/19 ac.
vertical
9,250,000
Three: Peoria/Quad Cities Indian Creek LF #2 Hopedale 6-30-04 36.27 ac. 2,661,136
Two: Chicago
Metropolitan
Prairie View RDF Wilmington 1-16-04 223 ac. 30,196,438
One: Northwestern Illinois Winnebago Rec. Svs. Rockford 4-27-04 N & S Unit
Vertical & Horizontal
expansion
1,798,840
Amount recycled
Solid waste coordinators have many priorities to balance. More
pressing priorities of public health concern such as West Nile Virus
and bioterrorism, plus limited funding for solid waste planning
studies, have diverted the attention of many away from solid waste
management issues during the past few years. Therefore, the 37
percent recycling rate reported should be considered an estimate.
Actual figures may be lower or higher.
Who to Call for Help With
Specific Problem Waste
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;
concerning what to do with waste paint
and used motor oil;
Tap Hefley or Todd Marvel, at
217-785-8604, concerning scrap/used
tire disposal;
David Saladino, at 217/558-4115
concerning high school laboratory
hazardous waste and used fluorescent
and high intensity light bulb disposal.
State Solid Waste and Recycling Grants
The Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity
(DCEO), Bureau of Energy and Recycling issues a number of
grants to governments, not-for-profit organizations and
businesses.
For information about grant programs promoting recycling
efforts, contact these DCEO staff members.
Division and Contact Person Phone
Recycling & Waste Reduction Division
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, visit their web site at www.
illinoisbiz.biz and click on the energy and recycling tab.
Nonhazardous Solid Waste Management and Landfill Capacity in Illinois: 2003 9
Municipal Waste Generated & Recycled
Estimated Waste Generated Waste Recycled_
Region Population Tons PCD 1 Tons Percent
One: Northwestern Illinois 807,640 820,148 5.6 190,895 23.3
Two: Chicago Metropolitan 8,576,656 11,903,588 7.6 5,017,329 42.1
Three: Peoria/Quad Cities 760,144 926,220 6.7 243,008 26.2
Four: East Central Illinois 858,790 952,240 6.1 210,538 22.1
Five: West Central Illinois 561,922 538,045 5.2 81,732 15.2
Six: Metropolitan East St. Louis 708,732 632,188 4.9 182,873 28.9
Seven: Southern Illinois 434,527 389,469 4.9 56,637 14.5
Total 12,708,411 16,161,898 7.0 5,983,012 37.0
1 PCD = Pounds per capita per day.
On-Farm Composting
Facilities
In rural areas, farming provides an
outlet for landscape waste
management through the Illinois
Environmental Protection Act’s
provisions for on-farm exemption and
agronomic rate application, Section
830.106 a) and b). While the
agronomic rate application has only
one limit (20 tons per acre per year);
other requirements must be met to be
permit exempt:
• The site and where the finished
compost is to be used, must be on
property operated by the farmer
doing the composting. The property
used for the composting process
cannot be more than two percent of
that farmer’s total acreage.
• The compost site, and the land
where the compost is to be used,
shall be “principally and diligently
devoted to the production of
agricultural crops.”
• The land used and the farmer shall
not be connected to a waste
hauling company, or a generator of
non-agricultural compost materials
(tree trimming businesses,
nurseries, cemeteries and utility
companies). If the farmer is paid to
haul the landscape waste to the
site, he would not be qualified for
the exemption.
• The compost needs to be used
within 18 months from the day
waste was first brought to the site.
• The compost site and use area
meet required setbacks from wells
(200 feet), nearest residence (one-fourth
mile) and groundwater (five
feet). It cannot be within the 10-
year flood plain, or have more than
10 occupied non-farm homes within
one-half mile.
• The farmer registers the site with
the Illinois EPA, and submits an
annual report.
Composting is increasing by 3.5 percent
Landscape wastes were banned from Illinois landfills beginning July
1, 1990. The number of compost sites now stands at 38, two less
than in 2002.
Compost facilities report to the Agency each year the quantities of
waste accepted. In 2003, the state’s compost facilities processed
366,571 tons of landscape waste, a 3.5 percent increase from 2002’s
total of 354,333 tons.
Chicago Metropolitan area compost sites take five of the top 10
spots in terms of waste accepted in 2003. Number one, two and
three ranked sites, located in McHenry, Kankakee and Kendall
counties respectively, took in one-third of the wastes composted in
Illinois in 2003.
However, increasing amounts of landscape wastes in all parts of the
State are being handled by permit-exempt farms, which are
described next.
Compost Facilities: Waste Handled 2003
Active
Region Facilities Tons
One: Northwestern Illinois 5 47,125
Two: Chicago Metropolitan 17 226,863
Three: Peoria/Quad Cities 5 23,407
Four: East Central Illinois 3 21,830
Five: West Central Illinois 1 15
Six: Metropolitan East St. Louis 6 45,774
Seven: Southern Illinois 1 1,557
Total 38 366,571
10 Nonhazardous Solid Waste Management and Landfill Capacity in Illinois: 2003
On-farm composting facilities
If the farmer meets the requirements shown in the adjacent sidebar,
then a composting permit is not needed. However, the sites are still
subject to the minimum performance standards of Section 830.202
of the Act. These requirements include controlling odors, processing
waste within five days, run-off and run-on control and windrow
construction. They must have written plans for the intended use and
for odor control. The only minimum standards they are not required
to meet are posting an entrance sign and record keeping of
complaints. They are not subject to any of the standards for
permitted compost sites.
Due to the limitations of the exemption, the finished compost may
not be sold, given to others, or used as alternate daily cover at
landfills.
Illinois EPA Enlists More
Citizen “Tire Spotters”:
Project TREAD Launched
Illinois Environmental Protection Agency
Director Renee Cipriano announced on
March 20, 2003, the launch of “Project
TREAD” that will seek additional help from
the public and local officials to identify and
remove illegal tire dumps.
“Illinois EPA’s Used Tire Management
Program cleaned up more than 1.1 million
waste tires last year that were potential
breeding grounds for mosquitoes that may
spread West Nile virus and other
diseases,” said Director Cipriano.
“Project TREAD (Tire Reduction, Education
and Disposal) will urge citizens and local
officials to report improperly discarded tires
to the Illinois EPA and/or to local police,”
Director Cipriano added.
Fact sheets addressing the hazards posed
by abandoned used tires will also be sent
to local officials across the state.
Public Service Announcements will also be
mailed to radio stations statewide and
Illinois EPA will give special recognition to
those officials and citizens who make
outstanding contributions to Project
TREAD.
“In addition to the more than 1,000
inspections done by our staff each year, we
rely on tips from the public and local
officials to track down renegade tires,”
noted Director Cipriano.
If mosquito larvae are found, the inspector
applies a larvacide and takes immediate
action to have the tires removed and
disposed of properly.
Illinois EPA is part of the state’s West Nile
Virus Task Force and last year cleaned up
more than 50,000 waste tires at the
request of the Illinois Department of Public
Health and local health departments.
Approximately 12 million used tires are
generated each year in Illinois. While most
are now managed properly as a result of
oversight by our Used Tire Management
Unit, there are still hundreds of thousands
of tires that need to be removed from illegal
sites each year.
In 2003, 44 of the 91 active transfer stations (48.4 percent)
voluntarily reported handling nearly 5.3 million tons of trash, or
nearly 30.4 percent of waste landfilled statewide. If the number of
active landfills falls from 50 in 2003, 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 waste they will handle.
The Agency requested data from transfer stations, but not all of the
facilities chose to voluntarily return the survey; so it is assumed that
transferred amounts of waste are under-represented in this report.
We do know which transfer stations were accepting waste, because
they are inspected on a regular basis by our Field Operations staff
and the delegated agencies.
Project TREAD launched
Project TREAD (Tire Reduction, Education and Disposal) is the
Illinois EPA's outreach effort to increase the public's awareness and
assistance for the Illinois EPA's Used Tire Program in response to
the serious West Nile Virus situation in Illinois.
In addition, the Illinois EPA issued a fact sheet in early 2003 called
"Used Tires and the West Nile Virus." This fact sheet identifies the
link between improperly managed used and waste tires and the
proliferation of disease-carrying mosquitoes that results in an
increased risk and occurrence of West Nile Virus. The fact sheet is
available on our web site at http://www.epa.state.il.us/land/tires/
images/project-tread.pdf.
For further information on the Illinois EPA's Used Tire Program, go
to http://www.epa.state.il.us/land/tires/index.html.
Transfer Stations: Waste Handled in 2003
Region Facilities Tons
One: Northwestern Illinois 6 146,216
Two: Chicago Metropolitan 62 4,801,549
Three: Peoria/Quad Cities 4 15,625
Four: East Central Illinois 7 9,400
Five: West Central Illinois 3 165,000
Six: Metropolitan East St. Louis 6 60,209
Seven: Southern Illinois 3 60,256
Total 91 5,258,255
1 Each region contains active sites that did not report amounts of waste
accepted.
Nonhazardous Solid Waste Management and Landfill Capacity in Illinois: 2003 11
Transfer station and recycling center regulations proposed
The Agency has met with interested parties and organizations about
regulations for recycling and transfer stations. The Illinois Pollution
Control Board web site www.ipcb.state.il.us has more details about
the rule-making process.
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 of a permit application 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. Once an application is
found to be complete, technical reviews are conducted.
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, the permit is approved
outright or with special conditions. If the application is deficient, the
Permit Section denies the permit.
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 again.
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: 2003
Alternative re-use of
Construction and Demolition
Debris
The Illinois Environmental Protection Act
was amended in July 2003 to increase
the opportunities for beneficial reuse of
clean construction and demolition debris.
Clean construction or demolition debris
includes uncontaminated concrete with
no protruding metal bars, bricks, rock,
stone; reclaimed asphalt pavement; and
soil from construction or demolition
activities.
Prior to July 2003, use of this material
without being classified as disposal of
solid waste was mainly limited projects
where it was used “below grade.” This
meant the material was used to fill a
quarry, borrow pit or other constructed
excavation. It could also be used in
engineered construction projects.
The changes to Section 3.160 of the Act
removed the “below grade” requirement.
It was replaced by the limitation that the
fill is placed no higher than the existing
elevation of the area immediately
adjacent to the site prior to filling. With
this change, leveling parking lots and
filling in ravines can now be done without
being part of an engineered project.
Please refer to the whole text of Section
3.160 prior to beginning a project, as
there are other limitations and conditions
that must be taken into account before
using the material.
The Illinois Environmental Protection Act
and the Rules and Regulations of the
Illinois Pollution Control Board are
available on the Internet. Go to the
Agency’s web site, www.epa.state.il.us
and choose “Rules and Regulations”.
This will provide links to the Illinois
Pollution Control Board and Secretary of
State web sites where this information is
kept.
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 care fall
into three broad categories: cash-in-hand,
in the form of trust funds or
escrow accounts; third-party insurance,
including letters of credit and surety
bonds; and various types of self-insurance.
Self-insurance can include a
financial test, a guarantee by a parent
corporation or government entity, or
deferred funding in the form of pledge
of revenues. The state can further
determine which mechanisms are
allowable for publicly and privately
owned landfills and how landfill owners
and operators must provide
accounting.
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 upon 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 Greg Bouillon,
Bureau of Land, at 217-785-8604.
This report attempts to document significant permit actions.
However, only those permit actions which change the items
mentioned in “Facility Facts” section of the landfill specification
pages are acknowledged. Pay close attention to the footnotes on
each facility specification page for permit actions made during
2001, 2002 and 2003, and on page eight of the Introduction there is
a chart entitled “New Facilities Permitted to be Constructed or to
Expand.”
For more information about items discussed in this report, contact
the Agency’s Freedom of Information Officer 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’s
identification number, if possible.
Closure and post-closure care 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 of the
landfill, constructing a final cover over the waste to minimize the
amount of precipitation that can infiltrate the landfill, establishing a
vegetative cover system over the final cover system to minimize
erosion and finalizing the gas and leachate management systems to
ensure that gas and leachate generated in the landfill after the
landfill is closed are 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
due to 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 ceases to accept waste
and includes maintaining the surface cover, monitoring gas
produced, 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 measures, such as remediation of
groundwater contamination.
Nonhazardous Solid Waste Management and Landfill Capacity in Illinois: 2003 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 for 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 percolates through or is 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.
Thirty-three abandoned landfills targeted for clean-up
In March 1999, the Illinois General Assembly appropriated $50
million to clean up 33 abandoned landfills located in 21 counties
throughout the state. Although these landfills stopped accepting
waste, they were not properly closed. Resulting risks include
contaminated drinking water, surface water pollution from run-off,
odors and dead vegetation from methane accumulation, presence of
vectors and other rodents, exposure to pathogens, exposure to
hazardous materials present in exposed refuse, infectious wastes or
hazardous substances present in the exposed refuse, and/or
landslides due to differential settling or unstable slopes.
The corrective action conducted at these landfills often includes
pumping of accumulated leachate, constructing an impermeable
cover, grading and slope stabilization, and seeding of vegetation for
erosion control. Several years of post-corrective care will also be
necessary for maintenance and monitoring.
When corrective action is complete at all 33 landfills, as many as 12
of these may be available for use as green space using native
vegetation, or serve municipal functions as city garages or parking
lots.
Five years after inception of the program, 69 percent of the $50
million allotted to clean up the 33 abandoned landfills has been
spent. In 2003, response actions were completed at the Anna
Municipal Landfill, Anna; Bi-State Disposal, Belleville; Chicago
Heights Refuse Depot, Chicago Heights; Lewis Landfill,
Beardstown; Prior Landfill and Prior-Blackwell Landfill, Centralia
and H & L Landfill, Danville. Construction began at three landfills:
Lewis Landfill, Beardstown; Chicago Heights Refuse Depot,
Chicago Heights and Anna Municipal Landfill, Anna. Site
investigations were conducted at four landfills: Bishop Landfill,
Litchfield; Delta Regional Landfill, Mounds; Triem, Chicago
Heights; and Morrison City Dump, Morrison. Operation and
maintenance activities continued at Carlinville Landfill, Carlinville;
Western Lion and Service Disposal Landfill, Mattoon; Steagall
Landfill, Galesburg; Multi-County Landfill, Villa Grove; Waste
Hauling Landfill, Decatur; Bath Landfill, Decatur; Paxton II
Landfill, Chicago; Centralia Environmental Services Landfill,
Centralia.
The Illinois EPA will make every effort to recover the State’s
corrective action costs from responsible parties.
For more information: a report entitled Illinois FIRST Abandoned
Landfill Program is available on our Bureau of Land website; (click
on clean-up programs, state response program, publications) or
contact State Response Action Program Acting Manager, Neelu
Reddy at 217-782-6761.
14 Nonhazardous Solid Waste Management and Landfill Capacity in Illinois: 2003
Landfill liner study and continuing engineering education
for Illinois EPA staff
Illinois EPA's Bureau of Land, Permit Section, wrote some
recommendations in January 2003 for the 92nd General Assembly
in fulfillment of House Resolution 715.
“A Study of the Merits and Effectiveness of Alternate Liner
Systems at Illinois Landfills” is outlined on our web site.
Methodology and conclusions reached, as well as the entire report,
can be accessed at www.epa.state.il.us/land/publications/#solid-waste-
permits.
In addition, Illinois EPA has provided civil engineering training for
its staff. Topics included landfill liquid management, landfill gas
emissions, slope stability and slope failures, and geotechnical
engineering analysis. These classes were taught by civil engineering
professors from Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, and
University of Illinois, Urbana.
Nonhazardous Solid Waste Management and Landfill
Capacity in Illinois: 17th Annual Report (2003)
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.
Conclusion
Our state-wide analysis of solid waste management is now
concluded.
For more details about solid waste management throughout the
seven Illinois EPA administrative regions of Illinois, see the body of
the document on pages R1.1 through R7.16.
The Appendices also contain supporting documentation that will be
useful.
Nonhazardous Solid Waste Management and Landfill Capacity in Illinois: 2003 15
Case Study of Prior 1,2,3,4
and Prior-Blackwell Landfill,
Centralia
The Prior 1,2,3,4 and Prior-Blackwell
Landfills are located about three miles
south of Centralia, on Perrine Avenue
just south of Greenview Road. These two
landfills are adjacent to each other and
have similar environmental problems.
These sites are in close proximity to the
Centralia Environmental Services Landfill
and together these three sites span
approximately 72 acres of waste
disposal. Prior-Blackwell was in
operation for 12 years from 1975 to 1986
and Prior 1,2,3,4 was in operation for
only five years from 1981 to 1986.
In the 1993, 1997, and 1998
investigations conducted by the Illinois
EPA, it was discovered that some of the
waste disposed of in these sites were
solid waste, special waste, sewage,
industrial sludge, asbestos-containing
material, used paint, used ink, and soil
mixed with diesel fuel. Steep slopes,
subsided cover, inadequate vegetation,
erosion gullies and exposed trash were
concerns, along with leachate seeps
entering an adjacent stream. Leachate
became a concern since there are no
groundwater leachate systems or liners
at either site.
In the spring of 2002, corrective actions
at the site were initiated. During the
winter months, construction activities
were halted. Activities resumed in the
spring of 2003 and the environmental
issues addressed included: regrading the
landfills to create stable slopes and
improve drainage, constructing a final
cap consisting of 24 inches of compacted
clay, a six-inch drainage layer and 12
inches of topsoil followed by a native
prairie vegetation cover. Also, a passive
gas collection and venting system was
installed to safely vent landfill gas.
Construction at Prior-Blackwell and Prior
1,2,3,4 was completed during the fall of
2003.
Nonhazardous Solid Waste Management and Landfill Capacity in Illinois: 2003 17
Local Agencies Delegated to Inspect Pollution Control Facilities for the Illinois EPA
Eighteen counties, Chicago,
and Ambraw Valley Solid
Waste Agency inspect
pollution control facilities for
the Illinois EPA.
Nonhazardous Solid Waste Management and Landfill Capacity in Illinois: 2003 19
Landfills: Active, Closed, Under Development in 2003
Nonhazardous Solid Waste Management and Landfill Capacity in Illinois: 2003 21
Landfills Receiving Waste from Other States in 2003
Nonhazardous Solid Waste Management and Landfill Capacity in Illinois: 2003 23
Regional offices are located in Rockford, Des Plaines, Peoria, Champaign, Springfield, Collinsville and Marion
Illinois Environmental Protection Agency Administrative Regions
Nonhazardous Solid Waste Management and Landfill Capacity in Illinois: 2003 25
