ILLINOIS POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD
    August
    4,
    1988
    PEARSON INDUSTRIES,
    INC.
    )
    Petitioner,
    v.
    )
    PCB
    87—7
    ILLINOIS ENVIRONMENTAL
    PROTECTION AGENCY,
    Respondent.
    THOMAS 3. IMMEL OF IMMEL,
    ZELLE, OGDEN, MCCLAIN, GERMERAAD AND
    COSTELLO APPEARED ON BEHALF OF THE PETITIONER
    VIRGINIA
    I. YANG,
    OF THE ILLINOIS ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
    APPEARED ON BEHALF OF THE RESPONDENT.
    OPINION AND ORDER OF TUE BOARD
    (by M.
    L. Nardulli):
    This matter
    conies before the Board from a January
    14,
    1987
    Permit Appeal filed
    on behalf of Pearson Industries,
    Inc.
    (hereinafter “Pearson”).
    The Petitioner appeals the decision of
    the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency
    (hereinafter
    “Agency”)
    of December
    9,
    1986,
    concerning the modification
    of
    Petitioner’s closure plan.
    The Board held public hearing on this
    matter at the Henry County Courthouse,
    in Cambridge,
    Illinois on
    July 23,
    1987.
    Pearson submitted
    its post—hearing brief on
    September
    2,
    1987.
    The Agency filed a response brief on
    September
    17,
    1987 and the Petitioner
    filed
    a reply brief on
    September
    23,
    1987.
    Further action on Pearson’s closure plan has
    been stayed.
    BACKGROUND
    Pearson operates
    a small,
    farm equipment manufacturing
    company
    in Galva,
    Henry County.
    There
    are approximately one—
    hundred—and--fifty employees at the plant.
    The plant
    is equipped
    with
    a spray—painting
    system that
    is used
    to paint the finished
    products.
    When the color of
    the paint
    is changed, the paint
    system is flushed with the desired color
    of paint until
    the
    system runs with that color.
    The paint
    that is pumped through
    the system during the flushing process
    is generally known as
    paint waste.
    This paint waste was collected
    in drums and stored
    in
    a sixty
    feet by fifty
    feet dirt area outside of the Pearson
    plant,
    until
    final disposal.
    (R.ll7).
    The paints used
    by Pearson prior
    to October
    31,
    1985,
    may
    have contained pigments exceeding the E.P.A. Extraltion Procedure
    Toxicity for heavy metals set forth
    at 35
    Ill.
    Adrn.
    Code
    91—61

    —2—
    721.124.
    Although the presence of heavy metals was not
    conclusively shown,
    heavy metals and toxic solvents are commonly
    found
    in the types
    of paints used by Pearson.
    Further, Pearson’s
    own test of paint chips
    found
    in the storage yard showed
    that the
    paint waste was a hazardous waste because of its ignitability
    (R.
    17).
    As a result,
    the paint,
    and the paint wastes,
    are
    classified as hazardous waste.
    The Agency also stated that its
    previous site investigations showed that xylene and toluene may
    have been stored
    in the storage area
    (P.
    117).
    As
    a hazardous waste generator,
    Pearson
    is governed by the
    Board’s regulations
    in 35
    Ill. Adm. Code 722.
    Under section
    722.134(b), Pearson became an operator
    of
    a hazardous waste
    storage facility because
    it allowed the hazardous waste
    to
    accumulate
    for more than ninety days.
    As a result, Pearson,
    and
    the drum storage area,
    are subject to the requirements of
    35 Ill.
    Adm. Code 724, Standards for Owners and Operators
    of Hazardous
    Waste Treatment,
    Storage and Disposal Facilities.
    Pearson planned
    to cease generation of hazardous waste by
    using water—soluble paints instead of
    solvent based coatings.
    As
    a result,
    it no longer requires a storage area for hazardous
    waste.
    However, because hazardous wastes were stored
    in the
    storage area for periods
    of greater than ninety
    (90) days,
    it was
    necessary
    for Pearson to file
    a closure plan for the storage
    area,
    with the Agency,
    in compliance with 35
    Ill.
    Adni. Code
    725.212.
    In compliance with 35
    Ill.
    Adni. Code 703.150(a),
    Pearson submitted Part A of the permit application for
    a
    hazardous waste material facility
    in August of
    1980.
    In this
    application, the Petitioner stated that
    its hazardous waste from
    non—specific sources fell
    under the generic classification of
    F003 and F005 as set forth
    in 35
    Ill. Adm. Code
    721.131.
    These
    generic classifications include the following hazardous wastes:
    F003
    The following spent non—halogenated
    solvents:
    xylene,
    acetone,
    ethyl
    acetate,
    ethyl benzene, ethyl,
    methyl isobutyl ketone,
    n—butyl
    alcohol, cyclohexanone, and
    methanol;
    and the still bottoms from
    the recovery of these solvents.
    F005
    The following spent
    non—halogenated
    solvents:
    toluene,
    methyl ethyl
    ketone,
    carbon disulfide,
    isobutanol,
    and pyridine; and the
    still bottoms from the recovery of
    these solvents.
    Pearson submitted
    a partial Closure/Post Closure Plan to the
    Agency on August
    19,
    1985.
    The Agency responded on November
    13,
    1985 by notifying Pearson of numerous deficiencies
    in its plan.
    Pearson submitted additional
    information for
    its Closure/Post
    91—62

    —3—
    Closure Plan on February
    27, 1986.
    In the plan, Pearson states that the maximum waste inventory
    in the storage area was approximately 345 drums.
    The maximum
    drum weight was approximately 400 although many of the drums were
    only partially full.
    Pearson began final
    removal
    of the drums on
    November
    6,
    1984 and by June 25,
    1985 all of
    the drums containing
    hazardous waste had been properly disposed.
    Pearson stated that
    it will no longer
    use the area
    to store hazardous waste.
    The hazardous waste remaining
    in the storage area
    is
    the
    result of
    spillage and drum leakage.
    This
    is documented by an
    Agency inspection report from February 20,
    1985 and from the
    Petitioner’s Closure/Post Closure Plan which reports analytical
    test results on paint residues
    (not soil)
    taken from the surface
    of the storage area.
    Pearson estimates
    in the Closure/Post
    Closure Plan that less than one drum of paint residue
    is present
    in the storage
    area.
    To close the facility,
    Pearson could either cover the area
    containing hazardous waste and provide for post—closure care or
    remove all of
    the hazardous waste from the area.
    Pearson
    proposed the following preliminary removal procedure for the soil
    in the storage area:
    The removal
    of two to three
    inches
    of soil
    from the surface of the entire Drum Storage
    Area
    is planned.
    Any penetration
    of paint
    residues into
    the soil beyond
    a 2—inch depth
    is considered unlikely.
    Since this cleanup proposal covers
    a physical
    removal
    of soil and solid—type residues with
    no anticipated complications,
    it will only be
    described briefly here.
    More details will
    be
    provided
    in the final
    report
    for this closure.
    The procedure planned
    is to use
    a small front—
    end loader to remove
    the soil and paint
    residues.
    Cleanup would be started at one end
    of
    the area and move
    towards
    the other.
    By
    starting outside of one end,
    the loader would
    not have to operate on the residues.
    On—site
    supervision and visual inspection by ESG Watts
    would be used
    to determine
    if removal
    is
    required beyond
    that planned
    in any particular
    location.
    The paint residues are the only
    known hazardous material
    in the area.
    Since
    they are readily visible
    to someone looking
    for them,
    visual inspection during cleanup
    is
    considered an adequate criteria.
    As the soil and residues are removed, they
    will be placed
    in bulk—type trailer
    units
    91—63

    —4—
    placed next to the area.
    Procedures will be
    used to prevent the loss of material between
    the loader pickup area
    and the bulk
    containers.
    Upon completion of
    removal operations, the
    front—end loader will be cleaned over
    a bulk
    container using
    a steel scraper.
    After
    cleaning,
    the scraper will
    be discarded into
    the container.
    The bulk containers will be
    covered immediately
    to prevent rainfall entry
    and wind losses.
    Arrangements for transport
    to final disposal will be made as soon as
    final test results are available.
    Following cleanup,
    soil samples will
    be taken
    from the grid locations where the red, blue,
    yellow and green paint residues were collected
    on July 3,
    1986.
    They will be analyzed for
    chrome
    (total)
    and lead by the EPA Extraction
    Procedure
    (EP) Toxicity test.
    Sampling
    procedures are covered
    in an attachment to
    this Closure Plan revision.
    Four background samples will
    be taken outside
    of the Drum Storage Area.
    These will
    be taken
    about 50 feet away from the corners on lines
    at 45 degree angles to north—south
    directions.
    The sampling coordinates are:
    Ne
    S1l85.0,W2—60.0;
    SE
    Sl3—50.0,W2—60.0;
    SW
    S13—50.0, W3—85.0; NW
    Sll—85.0,W3--85.0.
    The background samples will be tested the same
    as the ones from inside the cleanup area.
    In
    addition, the following analyses will be run
    on one
    of the samples from each group:
    Unified Soils Classification test (ASTM
    D2487),
    and Particle Size Analysis
    (ASTM
    D422).
    These
    tests determine the clay, sand,
    and
    silt content
    of soils.
    Should
    the follow—up testing show that
    hazardous waste remains in the Drum Storage
    Area,
    the cleanup and testing procedures
    detailed above will be repeated.
    When all
    work has been completed and the bulk
    containers transported
    for final,
    manifested
    disposal,
    a final
    report documenting the
    cleanup will be prepared and submitted
    to the
    IEPA.
    On December
    9,
    1986,
    after reviewing the closure plan
    submitted by Pearson,
    the Agency approved the plan subject
    to the
    following conditions:
    91—64

    —5—
    1.
    The entire drum storage area shall
    be
    excavated to a depth of
    1 foot and
    disposed as hazardous waste.
    2.
    The soil shall
    be sampled at the points
    indicated in the closure plan.
    For the
    sampling points
    in the storage
    area,
    samples shall be
    taken from the top
    2
    inches of the floor of the excavation.
    3.
    The parameters
    and cleanup levels listed
    in the table below shall
    be used in
    testing
    the soil and
    in demonstrating
    decontamination.
    Parameter
    Cleanup Level
    Toluene
    3 mg/kg
    Xylene
    3 mg/kg
    Benzene
    2 mg/kg
    Methyl Ethyl Ketone
    169 mg/kg
    PAHs
    0.5 mg/kg
    Ethylene Glycol Butyl
    Ether
    130 mg/kg
    Isobutyl Alcohol
    148 mg/kg
    Methyl Isobutyl Ketone
    50.9 mg/kg
    Cyclohexanone
    63 mg/kg
    Aliphatic
    & Aromatic
    to be determined
    Petroleum Distillate
    Polyisocyanate
    to be determined
    Tn
    (Dimethylaminoethyl)
    Phenol
    to be determined
    Aliphatic Alcohol
    to be determined
    Aliphatic Ester
    to be determined
    Copper
    0.02 mg/i
    (EP Tox)
    Lead
    0.1 mg/i (EP Tox)
    Chromium (Hexavalent)
    0.05 mg/i
    (EP Tox)
    Chromium (Trivalent)
    1.0 mg/i (EP Tox)
    Cadmium
    0.05 mg/l
    (EP Tox)
    Cleanup levels
    for aliphatic and aromatic
    petroleum distillate,
    polyisocyanate,
    tn
    (dimethylaminoethyl) phenol, aliphatic alcohol
    and ariphatic ester have not yet been
    determined.
    Pearson shall test the soil for
    these parameters and submit the results to the
    IEPA by April
    7,
    1987, for evaluation, and
    propose
    a revised closure schedule,
    if
    necessary.
    In
    its response
    to this submittal,
    the Agency
    shall
    include a schedule for
    completion of closure and submittal
    of closure
    certification.
    91—65

    —6—
    4.
    Sampling,
    sample preservation and
    analytical methods shall
    be conducted
    in
    accordance with Appendices A,
    B,
    and C
    of
    35
    Ill. Adm. Code Part
    721.
    Furthermore,
    the soil shall
    be tested using SW846
    Methods 8240 and 8250 for the organics and
    SW846 Method 1310 for the metals.
    5.
    If levels for any of the above parameters
    for samples taken in the storage area
    exceed cleanup levels,
    the soil sampling
    program shall be expanded vertically and
    laterally,
    using the grid sampling method
    described on page
    4 and
    5 of the enclosed
    instructions,
    until
    the boundary
    of
    contamination
    is defined.
    All
    contaminated soil shall
    be excavated and
    disposed as hazardous waste.
    After
    excavation,
    the area shall
    be resampled
    and tested
    to demonstrate all contaminated
    soil has been removed.
    6.
    After
    it
    is demonstrated that all
    contaminated soil has been removed,
    the
    area shall be
    restored to its present
    contours with clean soil.
    7.
    All equipment used
    in the excavation
    process
    including the end loader and
    containers shall
    be steam cleaned
    or
    disposed
    as hazardous waste.
    8.
    When closure
    is complete the owner or
    operator must submit
    to the Director
    certification both
    by owner or operator
    and by an independent registered
    professional engineer that the facility
    has been closed
    in accordance with the
    specifications in the approved closure
    plan.
    Also,
    to document the closure activities at
    your facility, please submit a Closure
    Documentation Report which includes:
    a.
    The volume
    of waste and waste
    residue removed.
    b.
    A description of the method
    of waste
    handling and transport.
    c.
    The numbers on the waste manifests.
    91—66

    —7—
    d.
    A description of the sampling and
    analysis methods used.
    e.
    A chronological summary and analysis
    methods used.
    f
    Photo documentation of closure.
    g.
    Tests performed,
    methods and
    results.
    h.
    A scaled drawing of no smaller scale
    than 1:100, showing the drum storage
    area and the locations
    of
    the soil
    sampling points including background
    sampling points.
    All certification,
    logs,
    or reports which are
    required to be submitted to the Agency by the
    facility should
    be mailed to the following
    address:
    Illinois Environmental Protection
    Agency
    Division of Land Pollution Control
    Permit Section
    2200 Churchill Road
    Post Office Box 19276
    Springfield,
    IL
    62794—9276
    9.
    This facility must continue to meet
    the applicable requirements of
    35
    Iii.
    Adm. Code Part 722
    Standards
    Applicable to Generators of
    Hazardous Waste and Part 723
    Standards Applicable
    to Transporters
    of Hazardous Waste.
    10.
    The “Certification Regarding
    Potential Releases from Solid Waste
    Management Units” which you
    submitted
    is being forwarded to the
    USEPA
    for possible future action.
    The approval of this closure plan
    neither approves or disapproves
    of
    the aforementioned “Certification”.
    Pearson estimates the procedure
    it proposes would cost
    approximately twenty—thousand dollars ($20,000), while the
    conditions imposed by the Agency would increase the cost of
    closing the facility
    to approximately two—hundred—thousand
    dollars
    ($200,000).
    (P.
    at
    26).
    9 1—67

    —8--
    ISSUES
    In order to determine
    the appropriateness of
    the Agency’s
    modifications
    to the Closure/Post Closure Plan,
    the Board must
    first address some preliminary issues.
    The first issue
    is whether
    the disposition
    of the proceeding should
    be decided under
    the
    RCRA permit appeal regulatory procedures
    in 35
    Ill. Adm. Code 705
    or
    the standard Board procedures for Agency permit denials under
    35
    Ill.
    Adm. Code 105.
    Because this facility has filed
    a Part A
    application but has not submitted
    a Part
    B application,
    as
    required under
    the RCRA regulations,
    the facility was deemed
    to
    have achieved “interim status” and was required
    to comply with
    the interim status standards of
    Part 725 of the Board’s
    regulations.
    Part 725 interim status standards are generally
    implemented without
    a permit application or review.
    However, the
    Board provides for appeal of Agency decisions
    to the Board under
    35
    Ill. Adm.
    Code
    725.218(g).
    Therefore,
    the permit was not
    a
    RCRA permit and
    is not subject
    to specialized RCRA procedural
    requirements.
    However,
    the Agency’s decision may be appealed to
    the Board under
    the procedures established
    in 35
    Ill. Adm.
    Code
    105.
    Browning Ferris Industries
    of
    Illinois,
    Inc.
    v.
    Illinois
    Environmental Protection Agency,
    PCB 84—136,
    Slip Op.
    at 4—5
    (May
    5,
    1988).
    The next preliminary issue
    is the standard of
    review to be
    applied
    in permit appeal hearings.
    The Petitioner
    repeatedly
    argues that the Agency fails
    to show
    a technical justification
    for their modification of the closure plan.
    However,
    the Agency
    is not required to justify its action.
    It is the Petitioner
    that
    bears the burden
    of proving the Agency’s permit conditions
    unnecessary.
    Environmental Protection Ag~ncyv.
    Illinois
    Pollution Control Board,
    118 Ill.
    App.
    3d
    772,
    780, 445N.E.2d
    188,
    194
    (1st Dist.
    1983).
    Pearson must show that the record
    before the Agency indicated that Pearson’s Closure/Post Closure
    Plan was sufficient
    to ensure that the drum storage area would
    not cause
    a violation of the Act or Board regulations governing
    hazardous waste disposal facilities.
    Another
    issue raised by the Petitioner
    is whether
    the soil
    in the drum storage area should be treated as hazardous waste.
    While Pearson acknowledges that the paint waste was hazardous
    waste, and disposed
    of the drums accordingly,
    it denies that the
    soil
    in the storage area is hazardous waste.
    Pearson maintains
    that the classification of the paint waste
    in
    its permit
    application was inadvertent
    and incorrect.
    CR.
    at 28).
    According to tests performed by its consultant, Pearson maintains
    that the paint waste
    in its storage yard should be classified as
    DOOl as set forth
    in 35
    Ill. Adm. Code 721.121 because
    it
    exhibits the characteristic of ignitability but is not
    a listed
    hazardous waste
    (P at 17).
    Further,
    Pearson maintains that the
    DOOl classification applies only
    to the paint waste and not to
    the soil
    in the storage area and that the concentration of paint
    waste
    is so low that the soil
    in the storage area may not qualify
    as
    a hazardous waste. Pearson’s proposed Closure/Post Closure
    9 1—68

    —9—
    Plan calls
    for core sampling of
    the soil
    to determine
    if
    it
    is
    hazardous or non—hazardous.
    First,
    it must be reiterated that the requirement for
    a
    permit
    for
    a Closure Plan is necessitated by the fact that
    hazardous waste was stored in the storage area for longer than
    ninety
    (90) days and is required whether or not the soil is
    a
    hazardous waste.
    The question that arises
    is how should the soil
    that
    is collected from the storage area be disposed.
    Again,
    Pearson bears the burden of proving
    that its plan will ensure
    that no section of the Act or Board regulation will
    be violated.
    The Agency must make its decision based on the permit
    application.
    Even though the record included Pearson’s statement
    that the hazardous waste was misclassified
    as type
    F waste,
    the
    Agency is responsible for determining what portions
    of the record
    should be given the greatest credence.
    Obviously,
    the Agency was
    not sufficiently persuaded by Pearson’s disclaimer.
    Although the
    paint waste
    stored
    in the yard at closure was
    to be type D
    hazardous waste,
    and the paint samples taken from the yard
    surface were also type D waste,
    the Agency had no assurances as
    to what had been stored
    in the yard previously.
    The Agency had
    reason
    to believe type
    F waste may have been stored
    in the yard
    (P at 117).
    Therefore,
    they formulated conditions to ensure
    a
    comprehensive closure of the area.
    PERMIT REVIEW
    In
    a permit appeal case,
    the Board must put itself
    in the
    position of the Agency
    at the time the permit application
    is
    reviewed and determine
    if there
    is sufficient proof, supplied by
    the applicant,
    that
    the facility will not cause a violation of
    the Act or the Board’s regulations.
    The Board may add conditions
    to the granting of
    the permit as may be necessary to accomplish
    the purpose of the Act and regulations.
    In accordance with
    Section 40(d)
    of the Act,
    the decision of the Board shall
    be
    based exclusively on
    the record before
    the Agency including the
    record of the hearing.
    The conditions
    imposed by the Agency increase the number
    of
    parameters for which
    the soil
    is to be tested and the amount of
    soil that
    is required to be removed from the yard.
    The Agency
    explained
    that their previous experience
    in a closure or cleanup
    that involved paint wastes found some of these added parameters
    to be common constituents of paint wastes.
    Therefore,
    the Agency
    decided that it would be reasonable
    to expect that some of these
    parameters might also be present at the Pearson site
    (P.
    93 and
    107).
    The Agency demanded testing
    for xylene and toluene because
    site investigations by the Agency indicated that both were used
    as solvents at the facility and were stored in the subject
    storage yard
    (R.
    117 and 133).
    The Agency indicated that
    it
    imposed the requirement of excavation of twelve
    inches of
    soil
    because
    they felt it would
    allow
    the Petitioner
    to avoid
    91—69

    —10—
    additional analytical
    soil
    testing costs.
    (R.64).
    The Petitioner
    argues that the testing for all
    of the
    parameters included by the Agency are unnecessary because the
    paint waste are hazardous only because of flash point.
    Pearson
    therefore proposes that the excavated soil be tested by flash
    point.
    They also maintain that the cost
    of excavating and
    testing the soil will
    be incurred by the Petitioner and therefore
    they should be allowed
    to excavate and
    test in the manner they
    feel will
    be most cost effective.
    The Petitioner also maintains
    that the Agency
    is imposing an unnecessary expense on Pearson by
    requiring that the soil be disposed of as hazardous waste even if
    analytical testing shows
    it
    is non—hazardous.
    In reviewing the Closure/Post Closure Plan submitted by
    Pearson
    to the Agency on February 27,
    1986,
    the Board believes
    that the plan
    is not sufficient to ensure that the hazardous
    waste will
    be properly disposed
    of as required by
    35
    Ill. Adm.
    Code 725.211 because
    it fails
    to supply sufficient detail of
    the
    proposed closure plan.
    In particular,
    the plan fails
    to state
    the exact area to be excavated,
    fails to test the excavated soil
    for
    type
    F hazardous waste and does not call
    for
    the excavation
    of
    a larger area if the soil
    is found
    to be hazardous.
    The Board
    will not order the Agency
    to issue
    a permit without greater
    assurances
    that all of the hazardous waste will be removed from
    the area.
    The Agency
    is correct
    in requiring
    the Petitioner
    to test
    for
    the parameters it has listed.
    It is undisputed that paint
    waste
    is present
    in the soil and both Pearson and the Agency know
    that paint and paint residue contain solvents and metals.
    The
    rules do not specify the tests
    to be used to determine
    if the
    removal process
    is complete.
    Removal can be
    taken to mean the
    elimination of all hazardous waste and constituents from the
    site.
    Complete removal
    is not intended
    to be determined by
    whether or not the soil is
    a hazardous waste.
    Therefore,
    the
    Petitioners proposal
    of testing the excavated soil for flash
    point,
    to determine
    if the soil was a characteristics hazardous
    waste, would be
    inadequate.
    The Agency could have required Pearson to demonstrate
    removal
    of
    all hazardous constituents down
    to the level of
    detection.
    Instead,
    the Agency
    acted with reasonable leniency by
    using levels of detection,
    established extraction procedures and
    water quality standards
    to define removal.
    The Agency’s
    conditions allow constituents
    to remain at levels below the
    levels established by the water quality standards.
    The Agency
    also allows constituents
    to remain
    if they do not leach under the
    extraction procedures test.
    Pearson has proposed the removal of only the top three
    inches
    of soil as opposed
    to the removal of
    twelve inches
    suggested by the Agency.
    Under Pearson’s proposal the Petitioner
    would
    be required
    to excavate soil from the storage area at
    91—70

    —11—
    increments
    of
    3
    inches
    in depth
    until the last portion of
    soil
    excavated and the soil remaining in the yard both test negative
    for
    all hazardous constituents.
    The Agency admits that Pearson’s
    plan would assure
    a clean—up of the area but the Agency is
    of the
    opinion that the removal of twelve inches of soil would prove
    more cost efficient for the Petitioner because
    it would reduce
    their expenditures
    for analytical testing of
    samples.
    (P.
    62 and
    64).
    Because it
    is the Petitioner who will bear the cost of the
    clean—up,
    it should be allowed
    to determine the means by which
    the clean—up is achieved while the Agency shall
    be responsible
    for determining
    if
    those means are sufficient to ensure the
    clean—up.
    In this matter,
    if
    Pearson desires
    to excavate at
    three
    inch increments,
    and the Agency
    is of the opinion that this
    will
    result
    in a complete clean—up,
    Pearson should be allowed to
    proceed as
    it wishes.
    However,
    it must
    be clarified that Pearson
    will
    be required
    to excavate the entire storage yard after every
    analytical test that indicates
    the presence of hazardous
    materials tested for,
    and
    in concentrations above,
    the limits
    imposed by the Agency.
    The Petitioner will not be allowed
    to
    divide the area
    at anytime and continue
    to clean up only the
    areas where hazardous materials are detected.
    Pearson also objects
    to the Agency requiring
    them to dispose
    of all of
    the excavated soil as hazardous waste even
    if the
    analytical testing indicates no hazardous material
    is present.
    The top three
    inches
    of soil removed obviously must be discarded
    as hazardous waste because it will include the paint residue
    visibly present
    in the yard.
    (P.30).
    While the other soil
    excavated may not have hazardous characteristics
    it still must be
    disposed of
    as hazardous waste because Section 72l.103(c)(2)(A)
    requires any solid waste generated from the treatment,
    storage or
    disposal
    of hazardous waste
    to be managed as
    a hazardous waste.
    Therefore,
    all
    of the soil removed from the yard must be disposed
    of as hazardous waste.
    The Board,
    therefore, will order the Agency to modify
    Pearson’s Closure/Post Closure Plan by imposing the Board’s
    conditions.
    These conditions have been formulated to guarantee
    the elimination
    of the hazardous waste and minimize the need for
    further maintenance while avoiding unnecessary actions.
    The case will be remanded
    to the Agency with instructions to
    include the new conditions drafted by the Board. Section
    4(1) and
    39(d)
    of the Act make
    the Agency the RCRA permitting authority
    for Illinois.
    This authority has also been designated by the
    (JSEPA.
    The Board is not a “Co—authority” for RCRA cases and
    therefore the Board must remand to the Agency
    for enforcement.
    Further,
    it
    is more practical for the Board
    to specify the
    required modifications and allow
    the Agency to issue
    the
    Permit.
    As
    a result,
    the Agency will remain as
    the permitting
    agency
    for
    the Pearson Closure/Post Closure Plan.
    91—71

    —12—
    This Opinion constitutes the Board’s finding of facts and
    conclusions of law in this matter.
    ORDER
    This matter is remanded to the Illinois Environmental
    Protection Agency with instructions to approve the Closure/Post
    Closure Plan submitted by Pearson Industries,
    Inc. consistent
    with the findings
    in the opinion which are herein summarized:
    1.
    The Petitioner, Pearson,
    may excavate the
    storage area at depth
    increments of three
    inches
    (or at any increments
    it
    desires).
    Analytical testing of both the
    excavated soil and the storage area must
    be performed,
    as prescribed by the Agency,
    after each excavation.
    Additional
    soil
    must
    be excavated from the entire
    area of
    the storage yard after
    every analytical
    test that indicates the presence of
    hazardous materials above the limits
    imposed by the Agency.
    At no time may the
    Petitioner divide the excavation area,
    for
    the purpose
    of limiting future excavation,
    to those areas where hazardous waste has
    been detected.
    2.
    All
    of the soil removed from the yard must
    be disposed
    of
    as hazardous waste.
    3.
    The parameters and clean—up levels
    for
    analytical
    testing in the Agency’s
    conditions, shall be adhered to by the
    Petitioner.
    4.
    The reporting requirements, stated
    in the
    Agency’s conditions,
    shall be adhered
    to
    by the Petitioner.
    Section
    41 of the Environmental Protection
    Act,
    Ill. Re.
    Stat.
    1985,
    ch. 111—1/2, par.
    1041,
    provides for appeal of final
    Orders of
    the Board within
    35 days.
    The Rules
    of the Supreme
    Court
    of Illinois establish filing requirements.
    IT
    IS SO ORDERED.
    91—72

    —13—
    I, Dorothy M. Gunn, Clerk of
    the Illinois Pollution Control
    Board, hereby certify the the above Opinion and Order was adopted
    on the
    ___________
    day of
    ~2-~..-i--
    ,
    1988, by
    a vote
    of
    -~—o
    Dorothy M.,~unn,Clerk
    Illinois P~’llutionControl Board
    91—73

    Back to top