BEFORE

TF{E, ILLII{OIS

T'OLLUTION

CONTROL

BOARD

'

r L_'::i:{

ffiECEEL'ffi*

{''t

Frrt?'q

.tl:.r:t/'F

A.UG

2

7

1999

5'T.A.'I'g

CF

ILLINOIS

Pallutiort

Contro/

Roard

In

the h4atter

oi.

Petition

of Hor:eheacl

Resource

)

f)evelopment

Companv. lnc

fci

an

)

.\drusted

Standard Under

-15

Il!

)

.s.dnr

Code

720.

i3 l(c

)

)

r.s

00-c:

(.{dlusted

Standard-RCRA

)

\OTICE

O'r

FILNC

\{r Jolur

x--

Iloore

200 i\crth

LaSalle

Street

Suite

2?00

Chicago. ll-

b06ol

l\{r Robeir [.arvle','

lliinois Department

tli

Natural Resources

,ij-l

South Second

Srreel

SpnngtielC.

IL

6270i

To

Dorothv N'l

Gunn.

Clerk

illinois

Pollution

Control Board

100

W. Randolph

Street

I l'r'Floor

Chicago. II- 606'll

\1r Par.ri E

Gltterntann

.-\kin,

Gump.

Strauss,

Ilauer

&

Feid

i-li3

Nerv

Halr:pshire

Avenue. N

\\l

Suite.100

\\'ashington.

DC 100-rrr

PLE.{SF

TAKE }{OTICE

that

i have tudav flled riith

the Oiice of

the

Clerk of

the lllinors

Pollutron

Contro!

Board

the lliinois Envircnnrental

Protection.A,'en:1,'s

RESPO\JSE.

a

coov ol-

rvhich

is attached hereto

and sen'ed uDon

vou

Date

AUcvST

aZ

t

11q

lllinors Environmental Prolection

Agenu'

Drvrsion of

Legal Counsel

l70l S First

,{r'enue. Surte

(r00

\'!avu'ood.

lL

60

I

5l

708

_-i

l8-78c.)0

I

I;(

) p1b

lrt.r

'ilils

l'il_I:{(;

Is

st'll\il'f'IEI)

r)\

IIE('\'{

t_tit)

p.rrpt:tt

---

i

''

F{ElCH[\IHffi

r-t

tr

ra

r

/

'q

r\

ct:l

/\f:

AijG

2

?

.ig3g

BEFORE'IF{E ILLINOIS

POLLUTION

CONTROL BOARD

S"{-AIF-

O

lr:

tl-'t-i

t!

i''rlS'

i

)

oi

i

u

ti

or,

Con

;

r a

!

I.'inri

rd

I}J'TF{E N{ATTER

OF

PETITION

OF HORSEI{EAD RESOURCE

DE\EI-OPIvIENT

COi\tP-A]iY. INC

FOR,{\

ADJLTSTED

STANDARD L}DER J-{ iLL

ADNl.

CODE

r20.l3lic)

AS

00-02

(Adjusted

Standard-RC'R\)

F€SPON.SE OF THE ILLINOIS EPAJO

PETiTICN FOT{ ADJUSTED

STANDARD

Pursuant

to 35 lll. .{drn

Code

106 4l-i. the

lllinois

Environrnental

Frotectron ..\genc_v

("lllinois

EPA."i, through its attornevs. herebv submits this Response

to the

Petition

oi'Horsehead

&esource

Developrnent

Companlfbr

an

Sdjusted

Standarci

Linder

I5

Il1, .lS!n

Qocie

Zl0

I

-i

i

(c)

(

"Petition").

trleri

betbre the Illinois Poilution Control Bcard

i"Board").

and

states

as

follo*'s

I

BACKGROUND

In

its Petition, Horsehead Resouice

Developnteni

Ccmpanv.

Inc.

("I{RD").

a recvcler

of

inorganic

hazardous

wastes, requesis

a deterrnination

bv the Board that the

crude zinc

oride

("CZO")

rvhich

it produces

at

its Chicago

tacilit_v

is

not a soiid

rvaste.

HRD receives

electrrc arc

furnace

("EAI;")

dust tioni steel mills The E.{,F

dust and stnall

quantitres

of otlier metal bearins

feedstocks

along

rvith

a carbon source

are introcirrced into a high

temperature metal

recoven.

l"HTidR")

process.

During the HTMR

process

the nonferrous

metals

are

ccncentrated

to form

CZO The

CZO

is

then

shipped off-site by railcar

II

APPLICABILITY OF

SECTION

7:O

I3I(C)

The

ternls of tlie

adjusted

siandard

require

that a

hazarcious

v.aste

be

paniall',,

reciaimed,

and

sultcientlr'

"commoditr'-iike"

after initial

reclamation A

materiai

must

be

a

RCR-\

hazardous

waste

ro

be

eligible

for

this soiid

ivaste

detennination

The materials invoh'ed

in

this rratlsaciion

appear

to be

lvithin the

categon'

eligible

for the

reqr,resled

adlusted standard EAF

dust is

a iisted hazardous

\vaste

under

3-s

Ill Adrn Ccde

721

132..

carrving the

code

K06l

'fhe

Petrtion

describes

the CZO

prodi-rction

process as

an

HTNIR

svstem

*hich.

through

rhe application

of heat

in a fotary

hearth

lurnace.

substantiallv

raises the

percentage

of

zinc in

the EAF dust

'l-his

appears

to meet

the

definitior'

of

"reclanration"

of

l5 lll

Adm

C'cde

721.

101(c)(a).

since

it is being

processed

to recover

usable

product. zinc.

For the same

reason.

it ts

aiso consistent

.,ryith

the

United

States Environmental

---

i.

Protection

Agencv's

explanation

olthe

term

"reclarnation" itr

the Federal

Register.

See

50 Fed. Reg.

614,63'-\

(Januar,y

5, i9B5).

Based on the

information

presented

in the

Petition. the

materials

for

which

the adjusted

standard

is sought

appeaf

to be

eligible

for consideration

uncier Section

?20 1 3

1(c)

II

EVAI.UATION

OF

FACTORS

LNDER

SECTION

7?0

li l(c)

,{-fter a determination

that

the

marerial

are

generalh' eligible

{br

the adjusted

standard, the

Illinois

EPA

rvill evaluare

'.he

proposal

in

the

Petition usrn3

the f'actcrs

set

forth

in Section

720

l3 l

(c)

I

)

The degree

of

processing

the marerials

has

undergone

and

the

deg:'ee

of li.rrther

processing that

is required.

2)

The

value of

the

material

after it has been

reclainted.

l)

The degree

to

rvhich the

reclainred materialis

like an

analogous

raw ntaterial.

1)

The extent

to

rvhich an end

market for

the

reclainted

material

is

guaranteed,

5) The

extent

to

rvhich the reclaimed

material

is handled

to minimize

loss;

6) Other

relevant

t-actors.

A.

Degree

of

Prccesstng

Section

720.l3l

(cX

I

)

requlres consideration

of

the

degree

of

processirtg initially

pertbrmed and that

further

required.

The rnore substantial

the initial

processirtg. the

more completell'

reciaimed the

marerial

is.

and.

hence

the

more commodity-like

the

niaierial.

In this instanse.

the HTh'lR

processing, u'hich exposes

the marerial

to

high tempel'atures

in a

rotary hearth furnase. substantiallv

changes

the

content

of

the matenal.

The

Petition

states

that

the zinc

is

concenirated

from

approimat

elv

15o/o

in the

feedstock

to approximatell

609'o in

the resultant CZO.

The Petition also

states

that

the

process reduces

the

mass

of the

feedstock

bv approximatelv

fivo thirds

.{fter tlie CZO

is

produced.

only

a

relativell'

smali

amount

of additic'nal

processing is

necessary

to

produce

ztnc

products

B.

Value after

Reclamatton

Under

Section

120 13

i

(cX2)

the

value of the

material

after

reclarnation is a fuctor

in the declsion as

ro

whether

to

grani an

adjusted

standarii

The

higher

tfte

value

of

the material,

and

the closer that

value

is

to

the

vaiue oi

the

rarv

material

it supplenrents

or

replaces.

the more likelv it is to be

considered

communitv-like

---

i

The

Fetition

includes

coirfidentiai

dara

rvhich

compares

the

approriillzlt0

trol-rsdction

prices

of

czo

sold

by

t{RD

with

the

approirriate

transaction

price

of

zinc

concentrate

prodr"rced

from

mined

zinc

c)re.

Since

the

inibrmation

is confidentia.i,

it

*'ill not

be

cited

in

this

response

lt

is sufiicient'

horvever.

to

state

that

the

iliinois

EpA

believes

that

the

sales

price

tcr CZO

is

in the

sgne

general

ranse

as

that

of

the

sales

price

tbr

zinc

concentrate'

C

Compa-rison

uitlt

Ra*

)'latelial

Secrion

720.13I(cX-i)

requires

considerati<-ln

olthe

coniparison

of

the

materials

to

re

reclassi{ied

by

this

acjusted

srandard

\\ith

the

rarv

malerial.

Tlie

clcser

ihe

material

is

tc

the

rarv

material

that

it

suppiemenrs

or

replaces

tlte

more

likelfit

is

to be

cornmoditl'-like

The

matedals

to

be

cornpared

are

zinc

concenrrates

from

mined

ore

and

cZo

which

is

partially

reclaimed

EAF

dust

The

percentages

of

zinc.

iron,

and

lead

in

zinc

ccrncentrates

a*d

(--Zo

are

very

similar.

Horvever.

the

percentage

oi

chlorine

present

in

czo

is considerablv

higher

than

that

occurring

in

zinc

"on"..,rrur.s

The

lllinois

EPA

iequests

that

HRD

ccrmment

ol'l

whetlter

the

higher

chlorine

content

poses

anv

pollution

control

problems

not

inhelent

in

tlte

prccessing

of

mined

zinc

D.

End

h{arke:

The

exlent

to

rvtrich

an

end

market

is

guaranteeci

is

a

factor

for

consideration

under

Section

120.1_11(cXa)

Tlie

srronser

rhe

marke,.

J.,"

*or.likely

the

materiai

is

to

be

commodity-like.

The

regulations

do

not

specif,callY

state

rvltether

the

market

to

be

considered

is the

market

for

the

material

after

iniriat

reclamarron

or

for

the

products

produced

after

I eclama'.ton

is

ceimplete

USEPA

commentary

indrcates

that

the

principle

concem

is

with the

market

atier

i:ritial

reclamation

50

Fed

Reg.

614.655

(Januan'+'

lqS5)

Historrcallv.mostEr\Fdustuasdisposedofasawaste'Howel'ei.nrarketsarellowdevelopingas

alternaril.es

to

disposai

are

beinq

e:<plored.

HRD

makes

a

point

that

stnce

it

began

producing

cZo

at

its

chicago

facilitv.

it

has

nei'er

had

to

stockpile

any

of

the

CZo

because

it has

contracts

for

all

that

it

protiu.ces.

rnn

aro

srares

that

ali

of

its

buvers

process

the

cZo

imrnediately

upon

receipt.

Given

those

facts,

the

Lllinois

EPA

beiieves

that

end

markets

for

czo

appear

tc be

guaranteed'

E.

Mirrimization

of

Loss

Sectionl2c|31(cX5)requirescoltstcielationofthemethodSenrplrrvedtonrinimizelossofthe

rnateriaj

ciuiing

handring

This

r-actor

coes

rcwarci

*1o

considerarions

First-

rvhen a

material

is

hanclled

carefully

so

as

to

pre'ent

to...

iii,

tends

to

indicate

that

the

materlalll

value

Second'

the

methods

impremented

to

pre'elrt

lcss

can

reduce

the

potential

'egati'e

ea'ironmental

consequences

due

to

possibre

rereases

cf

rhe

material

* hich

*,onlcr

ha'e

been

considered

a

hazardous

waste

absent

the

adiusted

standard

---

F{RD

rnirrimizes

loss

by

the

following

rrr'eans'

I

All

unloadin$

ant1

conv'evinc

operations

are

Permitted

ba'ghouses

enclosetl

ancl

controlled

b5'

iilinois

EPA

')

The

t{TL'tR

processing

produces

no

\Yastes

and

no

\'\'i1ter

discharges

3

After

the

Process

ts

pressurized

svstem

completed-

the

CZO

is

iranst-erred

to

railcars

in

an

enclosed

4.

The

off'-site

transponatiorr

ot-CZ0

rnust

conplv

rvitli

U

S

Dep

art

ment

of

T

ransPortatt

on

reguIattorrs'

The

illinois

EpA

berieves

rhal

HRD

does

emproy

sarisfactory

rneans

to

minimize

lcss

Horvever'

ir

is

suggested,,har

rmp

shouid

address

;rili;r:#.riur

r;.r*g

"'i,ir

accicie*tal

sp*rs'

ruptured

,r^gft""*t'

or

olher

environmetrtal

corrcerns

F

Other

Factors

Secrion

720.13r(cxb)

a*orvs

the

co.sideration

of

other

relevant

factors

rn

its

petitio.'

I{RD

discusses

the

prececientiai

'alue

or

orr,.r

li""'J

"*tr'o'

ttt*tt"e

rulings

and

rhe

desirability

ct

resource

recovery

anC

rvaste

minirnizatton

The

Lllinois

EpA

agrees

rhat

rhe

admrnistration

proceeclings

cited

bv

HRD

have

strong

precedential

.ralue.

This

is

especialil,

true

in

trr.

u;ruri.,t

stanciard

petition

of

Big

fur'er

Zinc

corporattott

(,,8R2,,)

AS

ee-3

'i;;il;,

proceeding,

;#;"J

;ra'ntel

eni's

"qutL-fo'

an'adjusted

'ctantlard

under

Secti

on'7201I

I

(c)

for

a

CZ-o

*;;;;;iild-uceC

iiorn

i'qr

a*u

Since

the

relief

sought

bv

eRz

is

'irtuall-v

,h;

.;;

u,

,r..*

,*r,.r

rougii

[l'

Hp'D'

i'

i'

u"u*td

that

the

Board

r''ill

give

much

,,rerght

to

its

Prior

decision

GThelllinoisEPAalsoagreesthatrr'henltcanbedoneirranenr4ronmentallysoundmanner.

therecyclingoihazardot}Slvvast-esshouldb""n"ou,ue.d:Srrchreryc!1s"ro't'resuitin

consen

ation

cf

naturral

resources

^J

irtt

reduction

of

hazardous

waste

cisposat

iV

RECOMh€.NDATiON

Baseci

upon

the

inrbrmatron

presentecl

in

its

petiti.,n.

it

appears

that

HRD

iras

demonstrared

ttrar

the

cZO

rvhich

it

produ..s

rs

rvrthin

,r,"

.*go'y

of

hu'u'd*:--;'*;;t

rvhich

are

eligible

for

an

adjusted

standard ouruuoniiJl,,

'i

eo*.

coi*;;;

ijit.r

l+.o

tra-*

provided

info.rmatiorr

rvhich

shorvs

that

the

r,AF

oust

i",

undr.gon.

,rr.

*uiority

oii*tu*utioiou'ing

the

HTMR

process;

tliat

the

cZo

has

significanr

value.

trrat

the

conrrn".^r,

of

cZo

are

similar

to

"ll:.::':-tt"trates

trom

mined

ore_

t'at

tirere

rs?

m^rr..i

,",

czo,

;;i

,h.t

,r,.

czo

is

handled

ro

rninirnize

ross

Addirionarh

'

,

E

--rnf

iffi"

.filHffiHm

---

\,

HRD

has

explained

\rhy

the relief

it is

seeking is

sirrrilar

to the relief

granteci

by the Board

to BRZ.

The

Illinois

EP.r,, ltas

posed

some clriestions

to HRD

in this Recommendariorr

Assumins

thar I lltt)

allsivers

those questions

to

the

lllinois

EPA's

satis{hcrion

and support:;

rhe t'acrs

assened

irr

rts

Petition

w'ith

aciequate

evidence

durin-u,

the hearing.

the tllinois EPA

recornnreirds

that the Boartl

grant

the ad.;usred

standard.

Respectfu

li'..

subnritted.

I L

L I\

O

I

S

E\\-IRO\A4ENTAL

P ROTECT

I ON

.,l^GtrNC\'

lllinois

Enrironmental

Protection

Agencv

i

701

Sourh First Avenue

Suite o00

\la-vrr.roci.

IL

60153

?08,/l,i

8-

-sq0

ii:{ )

peb hnl pcl

er

E Orlinskv

Assista::t

Counsel

---

CERTT}IC

ATE

OF

SER\T1Cb

I'l

h

e

u

n

d

e

r

"

*"'

o

f

lll

i:

J

T"

l

l

$

fi

l;'Ji

?il

R[

t)

P,lfi

":l-l

lh'"'.l

"i

l'

:1"^ll:'i:l;xT

'o'

ES::

PEO:Pgr'r:ct'.

l