Household Hazardous Waste Collection Suspended Across IL: EPA

ILLINOIS — Following a June fire at a disposal facility the state currently uses in Ohio, the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency announced Monday a temporary suspension of all household hazardous waste collection events.

Illinois EPA currently has a contract for the disposal of collected household hazardous waste, which disposes much of the collected waste at an incinerator located in East Liverpool, Ohio, according to a news release. The fire required Heritage Thermal Services to cease operations until specifically made parts can be shipped from Germany. It is estimated that the facility will not be operational until mid-November.

Illinois EPA is working with the current contractor to evaluate alternatives for disposal. Illinois EPA is suspending the scheduled one-day HHW collections planned for this fall, as well as the long-term HHW disposal facilities in Chicago, Naperville, Lake County, Rockford, and Madison County that Illinois EPA supports, until normal disposal operations can resume.

The Illinois EPA is recommending residents in possession of household hazardous wastes like oil-based paints, herbicides, cleaning supplies and household batteries keep the materials safely stored in their original manufacturer containers, as those are designed to safely hold the items, until HHW collections resume. The Illinois EPA said in the news release it is committed to rescheduling the one-day HHW collection events in Tinley Park, East Moline, Bloomington, Quincy, and Springfield once alternative disposal arrangements are available.

The Illinois EPA is continuing to explore other options for HHW disposal. Depending on the availability of other avenues and when the Ohio facility is operational, Illinois EPA may be able to reschedule these events yet this fall/early winter. If not, Illinois EPA plans to add them to the spring schedule.

In August 2021, the U.S. EPA issued a memorandum detailing a continuing nationwide incinerator backlog, which has rendered handling materials like HHW extremely difficult over the past year. This month, U.S. EPA reiterated the memorandum remains in effect. As a result, an alternative incinerator has not yet been identified to accept Illinois’ HHW and guarantee its incineration in a timely manner. This is the first time the Illinois EPA HHW collection program has encountered this issue in more than two decades of operation, according to the news release.

For more information on household hazardous waste, visit here.