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Significant Developments and Activities Report
Memorandum
DATE: March 28, 2008
SUBJECT: Report of Significant Developments and Activities
FROM: Margaret Guerriero, Director
Land and Chemicals
Division
TO: Bharat Mathur
Deputy Regional Administrator
Mary A. Gade
Regional Administrator
Chemicals Management Branch
West Suburban Spring Home & Garden Show-Glenn Ellyn, Illinois
Full House Productions sponsored its ninth annual spring
Home and Garden Show at the College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn, Illinois. The
show, held on March 14, 15 and 16 attracted over 80 vendors who provided
information on a wide variety of home renovations, remodeling and building.
Region 5’s Lead Team staffed an exhibit providing information on the dangers of
lead poisoning to children living in housing built before 1978. During the
show weekend, over 100 attendees stopped to ask questions or to pick up
brochures and other information produced by EPA or Region
5.
Contacts: Dick Doughty (312) 886-6058 or John Wsol (312)
353-5685
Region 5 files CAFO with Olie Olsen
On March 18, 2008, Region 5 filed a Consent Agreement and Final Order (CAFO) resolving alleged violations of Section 16(a) of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), 15 U.S.C. §2615(a), and the Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act of 1992, 42 U.S.C. § 4851, et seq., against Olie Olsen, of Alto, Michigan, concerning to the sale of two residential rental properties in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Mr. Olsen will pay a civil penalty in the amount of $600 and has agreed to
conduct a SEP in the form of a window replacement project designed to protect
tenants from potential lead-based paint hazards by replacing windows in target
housing located at 7346 S. Croton-Hardy, Newaygo, Michigan, formerly known as
6068 Croton-Hardy, Croton, Michigan. The window replacement project and
lead clearance testing must be completed according to Department of Housing and
Urban Development Guidelines for the evaluation and Control of Lead-Based Paint
Hazards in Housing, dated June 1995, and completed by individuals certified to
perform such work under federal, state and local laws and regulations.
Olie Olsen must spend at least $4,712 to complete the window replacement project
and lead clearance testing.
Contact: Estrella Calvo (312)
353-8931
Administrative Complaint Filed against Habeeba Shariff and M. Anwar Shariff
On March 20, 2008, Region 5 filed a
Complaint and Notice of Opportunity for Hearing pursuant to Section 16(a) of
TSCA against Habeeba Shariff of Chicago and/or Skokie, Illinois and
M. Anwar
Shariff of Chicago, Illinois and/or Eden Prairie, Minnesota (Respondents).
The Complaint alleges 21 violations of Section 1018 of the Residential
Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act of 1992 and its implementing regulations
found at 40 C.F.R. Part 745, Subpart F (Disclosure Rule).
Respondents’ have allegedly failed to include either within each contract or
as an attachment to each contract: a Lead Warning Statement, a statement
disclosing the presence of known lead-based paint (LBP) and/or LBP hazards or
lack of knowledge of such presence; a list of records or reports available to
the lessor regarding LBP and/or LBP hazards in the target housing or a statement
that no such records exist; a statement by the lessees affirming receipt of the
information set out in 40 C.F.R. § 745.113(b)(2) and (b)(3), and the lead hazard
information pamphlet required under 15 U.S.C. § 2696; and the signatures of the
lessor and the lessees certifying to the accuracy of their statements to the
best of their knowledge, along with the dates of signature. The proposed
penalty in this matter is $18,958.
Contact: Estrella Calvo (312)
353-8931
Materials Management Branch
2008 National Resource Conservation Challenge Training Workshop
MMB staff participated in the RCC Training Workshop in
Washington, D.C. held March 5-7. The conference was well attended by state
government agencies as well as EPA Regions; state representation from Region 5
included Minnesota and Ohio. Plenary and break-out sessions covered a range of
topics including the materials management energy/climate connection, bundling of
RCC programs, opportunities in recycling markets, industrial materials
recycling, electronics recycling, organics recycling, and multiple topics
covered by the 4th annual National Partnership for Environmental Priorities
recruiter’s meeting. MMB staff participated in hands-on training sessions
covering the use of three EPA modeling tools: the WARM model, for use in
determining benefits of recycling efforts; the BEES model, which provides
information on the environmental impacts of building products; and the IWEM
model, for evaluating the risks associated with using recycled industrial
materials in roadways. The training workshop was a success in fostering
dialogue among industry, academia, and EPA, as well as identifying specific
programmatic areas in which partnerships and collaborations could be further
developed.
Contact: Jerri-Anne Garl, 312-353-1441
Presentation on Disaster Debris Planning at C&D World and NDA Conferences
On February 26 and March 12, MMB staff gave training
presentations on disaster debris preparedness at the National Demolition
Association (NDA) and Construction Materials Recycling Association (CMRA) annual
meetings in Las Vegas, Nevada. The NDA is a non-profit trade organization
representing more than 1,000 U.S. and Canadian companies offering demolition
services and related equipment. The CMRA is a trade organization
devoted to the needs of the C&D recycling industry. A summary of the
information, resources, training and estimation tools available from state and
federal partners, including the FEMA, U.S. ACE, OSHA and Department of
Agriculture, was included. Details of the Region 5 ‘Disaster Debris
Recovery Network,’ which consists of a user friendly, map based directory of
debris management contractors and recyclers, a training module for contractors
who may become involved in debris management, and an information resource for
states and tribes on disaster debris planning was presented, with feedback
solicited from the audience, many of whom would be the target user group for the
network. Over 250 contractors were reached in the presentations.
Finally, Dr. Kimberly Cochran (HQ-MISWD) and Paul Ruesch (LCD) visited Evergreen
Recycling, a full service C&D recycling facility in Las Vegas, to become
familiar with the facility and markets for the recovered materials. The
facility is currently recovering and recycling 89 percent by weight of the
incoming material from roll-off boxes at construction sites.
Contact: Julie Gevrenov, 312/886-6832 and Paul Ruesch, 312/886-7898
Presentation at Environmental Symposium in Central America
MMB presented at the 3rd International Symposium and
Exhibition on Clean Production on February 26-27 in Panama City. The focus
of the presentation was on solid waste management and recycling. MMB
highlighted successful waste exchange programs in the Midwest, providing
insights into keys to success and sustainability. Waste exchanges
typically involve the exchange of residuals among large industries via
facilitated, electronic bulletin boards, resulting in landfill diversion and
significant cost savings. The audience consisted of industries including
the Panama Canal Authority, various energy, transportation, oil and chemical
companies in Panama, many of whom are large generators of wastes which could be
better managed. In addition, panel discussions were held to provide
perspectives from other countries such as Venezuela, Columbia and Spain.
The workshop was part of a larger effort to establish a solid waste policy,
regulations and infrastructure, and was sponsored by the National Environmental
Authority, U.S. EPA’s counterpart in Panama.
Contact: Paul Ruesch, 312/886-7898
Meeting with New Sustainability Coordinator at Chicago Botanic Garden
MMB met with Steven Bell, the recently hired Sustainability
Coordinator at the Chicago Botanic Garden, on March 5. The purpose of the
meeting was to follow up on recommendations found in a report prepared last year
titled “Environmental Audit Findings and Sustainable Practice Protocols”
prepared by Shaw Environmental, Inc. in cooperation with MMB. The Garden
is proposing to go forward with several projects, including: 1) defining a
vision for sustainability, 2) establishing green procurement policy and
guidelines, 3) use of retro-commissioning to improve energy efficiency of
inefficient buildings, and 4) developing an alternative to disposal of food
wastes generated on site and in demonstration gardens. Though MMB will
focus on technical assistance in researching and establishing alternatives to
food waste disposal, we will continue to seek ways to add value to the Garden’s
sustainability efforts. In addition, MMB will continue to assist the
Garden to take advantage of EPA’s voluntary programs and resources (i.e.,
WasteWise)
Contact: Donna Twickler, 312/886-6184
Solid Waste in Materials Management (SWIMM) Team Meeting
MMB and HQ OSW staff gave a joint presentation on disaster
debris planning and management and provided resources and guidance to the other
Regions who may be interested in becoming involved in assisting states and local
governments at a meeting of the subject meeting in Washington, DC on March
4. The Solid Waste in Materials Management Team consists of
representatives from all 10 EPA Regions and the HQ Office of Solid Waste –
Municipal and Industrial Solid Waste Division. The meetings are held two
times a year and the agendas are developed collaboratively, typically focusing
on municipal, construction and demolition, and non-hazardous industrial waste
management. The roles of the Team include: 1) sharing information, 2)
convening & coordinating across regions, 3) implementation of programs, 4)
communicating upwards to management (including Resource Conservation Challenge
(RCC) Program Managers). In addition, a joint meeting between
the Team and the RCC Program Managers was held in the afternoon to increase
coordination between staff and management working to implement the
RCC.
Contact: Jerri-Anne Garl, 312/353-1441 and Paul Ruesch 312/886-7898
REMEDIATION AND REUSE BRANCH
Final Decision for Solutia Facility, Sauget, Illinois
Region 5, issued a Final Decision for corrective action activities at the Solutia facility located in Sauget, Illinois. The corrective action activities are estimated at over $12 million and will focus on removing source areas of PCBs, benzene, chlorobenzenes, lead, and mercury. Construction for the cleanup work will be completed in one to three years.
The Solutia facility (formerly Monsanto) has been in operation since 1917 and
manufactured numerous organic chemicals, including PCBs. Solutia completed
an interim remedy in 2004 to contain, intercept, and collect contaminated
groundwater discharging and causing environmental impacts to the Mississippi
River. The Final Decision also requires Solutia to remediate groundwater
contaminated with benzene and chlorobenzene that discharges to the Mississippi
River north of where the interim remedy was constructed if Illinois water
quality standards are exceeded.
Contacts: Ken Bardo, LCD, (312) 886-7566 and
Rich Murawski, ORC, (312) 886-6721
General Motors Public Information Sessions - GM Powertrain, Bedford, Indiana
GM held public informational sessions at the Powertrain
facility in Bedford, Indiana, to present updates to the community on the ongoing
PCB cleanup work both on and off the facility.
GM continues to perform
a PCB sediment/soil removal action along approximately 5 miles of creek systems
near the facility. To date, approximately 1.3 million tons of soil has
been removed from the creeks. GM is also implementing Interim Measures on the 40
acre eastern portion of the facility property to contain PCB impacted soils and
groundwater. Members of the public,
U.S. EPA Project Manager (Peter
Ramanauskas), IDEM, ATSDR, GM, and a reporter from the Bedford Times-Mail
newspaper were in attendance. Updates included discussion of off-site soil
removal work remaining and a message that truck traffic on hauling roads would
be increasing over the spring and summer. GM will repave the roads once hauling
activities are completed. A Community Liaison Panel (CLP) met to present
the same information. The CLP includes residential members of the
community as well as elected officials, county health department officials,
local realtors, county commissioners, highway department personnel, and other
invited members. GM is planning to create a nature trail system through
parts of the restored areas. They met with the new mayor of Bedford to
discuss management opportunities for this trail system. GM posted a public
presentation on their project Web site along with other project related
documents. An article on the March 13th meeting appeared in the local newspaper
the following day.
Contact:Peter Ramanauskas (312) 886-7890