ILLINOIS POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD

February

17,

1972

OLIN CORPORATION,

MARION

PLANT

#71—371

v.

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

OPINION AND ORDER OF THE BOARD

(BY MR. LAWTON):

On June

23,

1971 in Case

#71-60,

this Board granted

a one-year

extension of

a variance granted by the Air Pollution Control Board to

permit open burning of explosive wastes

by petitioner

at its Marion

plant.

Our order extended the variance to February

22,

1972,

subject

to certain conditions.

The present petition seeks an additional nine—

month extension to November

24, 1972 to continue

the open burning of

explosive wastes

and to conduct experimental operation of

a new incin-

erator to be used for this purpose.

Olin manufactures mortar fired illuminating

flares,

aircraft

illuminating

flares,

jet starter cartridges,

gas generators

and igniters

for missiles

and

sub

caliber training rockets at the Marion plant, all

pursuant to contracts with the Department of Defense.

Scrap material

resulting from the manufacture of these propellants

and pyrotechnics

require disposal for which this variance extension is sought.

Olin

anticipates

that its production will generate the following amounts

of scrap per week

to be disposed of pursuant to the variance:

Category

Approximate Maximum

Per Week

2~mmoniumNitrate Propellant

300 lbs.

Double Base Propellant

20

lbs.

Single Base Propellant

20 lbs.

Pyrotechnic Candle Mix

6,000

lbs.

(high magnesium content)

Fuel Oil

Sufficient to immerse pyrotechnic

mix as required for safety reasons

Contaminated Packaging

& Transfer

Materials

100

lbs.

In addition, Olin proposes

to construct

a novel type

of incinerator with scrubber

for disposal of its pyrotechnic and

propellant

scrap.

Presumably, plans

for this incinerator have

3

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667

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been submitted to the Environmental Protection Agency

and it is con-

templated that construction will be completed by July of 1972,

and

testing and adjustment completed by November

24,

1972.

The Agency

recommends

that the variation be allowed.

It states that the data

submitted by the petitioner

is accurate,

that the company has been

complying with the conditions of

the variance granted in Case

#71-60,

and that no objection from nearby residents has been noted.

As we have said in previous variance

cases involving

the disposi-

tion of explosive wastes,

the denial

of variance would impose

a hard-

ship on the applicant because of

the unavailability of alternative means

of disposal disproportionate with any harm to the public in permitting

a continuation of this operation.

We also note that Olin

is following

our earlier directives

to pursue

and develop alternate means of dis-

posal.

We

are encouraged by its achievements

in this respect.

IT IS THE ORDER of the Pollution Control Board that the variance

granted in Case #71-60 be extended to November

24,

1972,

subject to

all terms and conditions provided in our original variance allowance,

including

the filing of monthly reports,

and in addition thereto,

the

following conditions:

1.

Petitioner shall confine the open burning to times when

atmospheric conditions

are conducive to dispersion.

2.

Petitioner shall notify the Agency of the date and time

when testing of the new incinerator takes place

and permit

Agency personnel to observe

its operation.

3.

Bond in form approved by

the Environmental Protection

Agency in

the amount of $50,000.00 shall be posted by

petitioner,

conditioned on full compliance with

all the

terms of this variance.

I,

Christan Moffett, Clerk of the Pollution Control Board,

certify

that

the

above

Opinion

and

Order

was

adopted

on

the

/7”

day

of

February,

1972,

by

a

vote

of

4~—~

~

/~7~/~

/~/

3

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668