ILLINOIS POLLUTION CONTROL

BOARD

November

23,

1971

THE OLIN CORPORATION

v.

)

#70—25S

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

OPINION .OF THE BOARD

(by Mr. Lawton):

On December 22, 1970,

the Board entered an opinion and order

granting Olin Corporation’s Petition

for Variance, expiring Decem-

ber

1,

1971, permitting Olin to dispose of six explosive contami-

nated structures by open burning,

and to dispose of various accumu-

lated explosive wastes by open burning,

subject to special conditions

as to the manner of burning,

and the filing of reports as set forth

in more detail in the decretal portion of the opinion.

On August

30,

1971,

we received

a Petition to extend the Variance for an additional

year in order to dispose of approximately 1,100,000 pounds of rocket

grains remaining on the premises at a maximum rate of 20,000 pounds

per day in 2,000-pound increments.

The Petition states that Olin

has designed an incinerator for the disposal of smokeless powder

fines for which

a permit will be sought

in the near future from the

Agency.

No variance

is sought relating to disposal of the smokeless

powder fines,

but only as

to rocket grains.

Olin alleges that the

open burning as requested will emit

0.17 grains of particulate

matter per standard cubic foot of exhaust gas adjusted to 50

excess

air and that the smoke from the burning will

at no time be No.

2 or

darker on the Ringelmann Chart.

The Agency has filed a recommendation proposing allowance of

the variance subject to continued submission of the monthly reports

and that the burning be conducted when wind speeds are

5 m.p.h.

or

higher and atmospheric conditions are conducive to disbursement.

As we pointed out in our original opinion, there does not pres-

ently appear to be

a suitable alternative to open burning for the

disposal of explosive wastes.

Olin has fully complied with

all pro-

visions of the opinion and order as granted, except in its inability

to dispose of all of the wastes by December

1,

1971,

for which this

extension

is sought.

Quite clearly,

the hardship on Petitioner

requires an extension of the variance.

3

—

139

---

IT

IS THE ORDER of the Pollution Control Board that

the

variance heretofore granted

in

4t70-25 be extended to December

1,

1972,

for the purpose of disposing of approximately 1,100,000

pounds of rocket grains.

Burning shall be limited to 20,000

pounds per day in 2,000-pound increments and shall take place only

when wind speed and meteoroligical conditions

are such as to mini-

mize impact on adjacent and surrounding properties.

All terms and

conditions previously provided in the original variance allowance

shall remain in effect as applicable.

I,

Christan Moffet, Acting Clerk of the Illinois Pollution

ControlBBoard,

certify that the Board adopted

the above Opinion

and Order on this

~3

day of November,

1971.

~

/22±~4~

C~tan.fett,

Acting Clerk