State alleges improper road salt storage near Illinois River

PEORIA, Ill. (AP) - A central Illinois freight company and a road salt producer face state allegations of contaminating areas near the Illinois River with toxic chemicals.

The Illinois attorney general's office filed a complaint this month against Peoria Barge Terminal and Morton Salt, alleging that they improperly stored road salt in 2011 and 2012.

The (Peoria) Journal Star reports inspections found at least 35,000 tons of salt stored within 500 feet of the river under tarps that were damaged, partially removed or not secured to prevent runoff. The complaint to the Illinois Pollution Control Board says a test of the runoff found free-cyanide levels more than five times the state's limit.

The companies have until early September to submit formal responses and didn't respond to the newspaper's requests for comment.

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Information from: Journal Star, http://pjstar.com