G. Tanner Girard, Acting Chairman
Board Members:
Thomas E. Johnson, Nicholas J. Melas, Andrea S. Moore
Illinois Pollution Control Board
James R. Thompson Center
100 W. Randolph, Suite 11-500
Chicago, Illinois 60601
(312) 814-3620
(312) 814-6032 TDD
Illinois Pollution Control Board
1021 North Grand Avenue East
P.O. Box 19274
Springfield, Illinois 62794-9274
(217) 524-8500
Web Site: http://www.ipcb.state.il.us
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al avenues for companies to seek
relief from rules of general applicability, such as variances, adjusted standards, and
site-specific rules. During August, the Board adopted an adjusted standard for
Stericycle, Inc., and a site-specific rule for Abbott Laboratories that highlight two of
these types of relief. These two cases are summarized below. As always,
information about the Board’s proceedings is available through the Clerk’s Office
Online (COOL) through our Web site at
www.ipcb.state.il.us
.
On August 21, 2008, the Board granted an adjusted standard to Stericycle, Inc in a
case entitled:
In the Matter of: Petition of Stericycle, Inc. for an Adjusted Standard
from 35 Ill. Adm. Code 1422.111(b)(1), 1450.105 (a, b), 1450.200(e)
The Board found that Stericycle had provided sufficient justification for an adjusted standard from Section
1422.111(b)(1) of the PIMW regulations adopted by the Board, and was granted an adjusted standard from that
regulation, subject to conditions.
See
35 Ill. Adm. Code 1422.111(b)(1). However, the Board declined to grant
Stericycle’s petition for an adjusted standard from PIMW transporter fee regulations adopted by the Illinois
Environmental Protection Agency.
See
35 Ill. Adm. Code 1450.105(a), 1450.105(b), 1450.200(e). The Board
found that it lacks authority to do so under Section 28.1 of the Environmental Protection Act (Act).
See
415 ILCS
5/28.1 (2006).
, (AS 08-2).
Stericycle requested an adjusted standard from Illinois' requirement that Stericycle
manually weigh and record the weight of each load of Potentially Infectious Medical
Waste (PIMW) received at its Stickney transfer station in Cicero with a device
certified under the Weights and Measures Act (225 ILCS 470/1
et seq
. (2006)).
Specifically, Stericycle sought instead to use weight measurement and recording data generated at its PIMW
treatment facilities in Clinton, Illinois, and Sturtevant, Wisconsin, for the calculation of PIMW transporter fees and
other regulatory purposes.
On August 21, 2008, the Board adopted a site-specific rule pursuant to Section 28 of the Environmental Protection
Act (Act) (415 ILCS 5/28 (2006), entitled:
In the Matter of: Abbott Laboratories’ Proposed Site Specific
Amendment to Applicability Section of Organic Material Emission Standards and Limitations for the Chicago Area;
Subpart T: Pharmaceutical Manufacturing (35 Ill. Adm. Code 218.480(b))
Abbott proposed to amend these site-specific exemptions by “capping” and lowering the overall emissions allowable
under the exemptions from its tunnel dryers numbered #1, #2, #3 and #4, and fluid bed dryers numbered #1, #2 and
#3, and calculating the amount of exempted emissions from the dryers based on the actual combined emissions from
the dryers. Abbott demonstrated that its proposed amendment reduces the overall allowable emissions from these
units while increasing Abbott’s operational flexibility, by allowing it to make preferential use of the more efficient
fluid bed dryers. The Board found that the alternative compliance method proposed by Abbott allows Abbott to
determine the most efficient use of its process equipment and will result in a net reduction of VOM emissions.
(R08-8). Abbott Laboratories (Abbott)
filed a proposal to allow “additional operational flexibility” with regard to emissions from certain tunnel dryers and
fluid bed dryers at its pharmaceutical manufacturing facility located in Lake County. Abbott’s operations are subject
to the emissions standards for volatile organic materials (VOM) at 35 Ill. Adm. Code, Subpart T – Pharmaceutical
Manufacturing. As currently written, Section 218.480(b) contains separate exemptions applicable to Abbott’s air
suspension coater/dryer, fluid bed dryers, tunnel dryers, and Accelacotas.
Sincerely,
Dr. G. Tanner Girard
