Agreement would provide monitoring at Grayslake landfill
A years long effort to curb odors at the Countryside landfill in Grayslake will reach a new level in a pending agreement that for the first time involves local control.
Countryside Landfill Inc., a subsidiary of Waste Management Inc., that owns and operates the facility, would be required to monitor for hydrogen sulfide, a landfill gas suspected as the cause of odors that have been an ongoing source of complaints from neighboring residents since fall 2008.
The Solid Waste Agency of Lake County, in consultation with the Lake County Health Department, could impose fines if hydrogen sulfide emissions exceed the levels outlined in the agreement and are not adequately addressed.
“I believe it’s the only landfill in the state of Illinois that would have such a standard that would be enforceable,” said Walter Willis, executive director of waste agency.
SWALCO, which is comprised of 41 member communities, is scheduled to vote on the agreement Feb. 16. Waste Management also plans to sign the agreement, which becomes effective April 30.
Details were outlined last week for the county board’s public works and transportation committee.
“This was an effort to try to have a local standard with local enforcement and zero-in on the biggest concern,” said County Administrator Barry Burton.
The agreement also calls for the landfill to have a back up flare, which burns landfill gas, and a back up generator to provide power in case of an outage. Both already are in place.
Hydrogen sulfide causes a rotten egg smell. The gas is thought to be coming from decomposing drywall materials, which no longer are accepted at the landfill under provisions of an order to control emissions issued last July by the U.S. EPA.
Illinois has no requirement for landfills to monitor for hydrogen sulfide, according to Willis.
The pending agreement with SWALCO says hydrogen sulfide will not exceed 20 parts per billion over a “rolling” one-hour period or 5 parts per billion over 24 hours. For comparison, California’s standard for one hour is 30 parts per billion, Willis said.
Countryside can be fined up to $1,500 for not having a back up generator or flare or if hydrogen sulfide exceeds the standards and the landfill is found to be at fault.
When emissions exceed the standard, the landfill must submit a plan and timetable to correct the problem. If it remains unsolved, SWALCO can fine Countryside up to $1,500 per day the problem continues.
“We’re very appreciative of the fact that this happened at all,” said Barbara Klipp, a resident of nearby Prairie Crossing, who has been active in matters involving the landfill.
Klipp cited several potential loopholes, however. Among several suggestions submitted to SWALCO, she called for a lower maximum level of hydrogen sulfide; off-site monitors; making the data public on a website in real time; and, increasing the amount of the initial fine to $1,500 per day.
Waste Management has spent more than $2.6 million improving its gas collection system to address the problem.
“This is all about being a good neighbor and responding to the community,” spokesman Bill Plunkett said of the agreement.
County Board member and former Grayslake Mayor Pat Carey, whose district includes the landfill, agreed the fine was low but supported the agreement.
“It’s not perfect but it gets us in the right direction,” she said. “It’s something we didn’t have before.”