Illinois EPA improves public services

Increases access and waste collections      

[JAN. 3, 2005]  SPRINGFIELD -- An end-of-the-year assessment of its citizens' assistance programs revealed that an increased number of Illinois citizens were served and that the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency offered additional services.

According to Illinois EPA Director Renee Cipriano, "Improving services and enhancing the methods we use to provide information to the citizens of Illinois is one of Governor Blagojevich's top priorities. While 2004 showed successes, we continue to strive to do better."

New "Citizens' Information Center" makes Illinois EPA information more accessible

Illinois EPA offers a vast amount of information on a wide range of topics. In an attempt to collect the information of interest and importance to citizens and make it more readily available, Illinois EPA launched the Citizens' Information Center in 2004.  The Citizens' Information Center provides information on programs and services, environmental education, and tips. It is available at http://www.epa.state.il.us/citizens/index.html.

Another addition to Illinois EPA's website is "Environmental Facts Online," at http://www.epa.state.il.us/enfo/. It provides quick access to online databases on sites undergoing cleanup; community water supply information; sites being referred for enforcement; water quality of groundwater, lakes, rivers and streams; and sites where toxic releases have occurred.

Citizen complaints can now be reported electronically

Through its citizen complaint program, Illinois EPA receives vital tips on possible problems, including open dumping, odor complaints from commercial facilities, illegal discharges into waterways or other threats to public health and the environment.

In order to receive and respond to citizen pollution complaints as quickly as possible, the Illinois EPA instituted its new online complaint form process in 2004. Complaints can now be received and the investigation process can begin much more quickly than when a complaint is sent through the mail. The form is on the Illinois EPA website at http://www.epa.state.il.us/pollution-complaint/. Preliminary data show an increase in the numbers of complaints. The Illinois EPA believes this is due to the convenience of online submissions over mailing them.

Waste tire collection program has record year

The Illinois EPA co-sponsored a record number of countywide used tire collections in 2004. In conjunction with units of local government, the Illinois EPA conducted 32 countywide used tire collections throughout the state. More than 5,500 tons, the equivalent of more than 440,000 passenger tires, of used tires were collected from more than 7,500 citizens.

Since improperly managed used tires that are allowed to accumulate water provide a prime breeding habitat for disease-carrying mosquito species, and therefore are a host for West Nile virus and other diseases, the Illinois EPA's Countywide Used Tire Collection Program provides a vital service to units of local government and the citizens of Illinois.

Over the past 14 years, the Illinois EPA has co-sponsored 405 countywide collections, which has resulted in the collection and proper disposal or recycling of more than 56,000 tons of used tires -- the equivalent of more than 4.5 million passenger tires -- from more than 82,000 citizens.

The majority of the used tires that are collected from these events are converted into tire-derived fuel, which is burned for energy recovery in utility boilers. Other uses involve recycling into such items as playground flooring, horse arena flooring and rubber landscape mulch. Also, some are converted into crumb rubber for use on athletic fields, running tracks and the manufacture of various rubber products for the automotive and home improvement industries.

Household Hazardous Waste Collections have continued popularity with public

In 2004, 37 Household Hazardous Waste Collections were conducted throughout the state. The collections are scheduled each spring and fall, with 28,648 households dropping off potentially hazardous household materials for recycling and safe disposal this year.

The Illinois EPA, with local governments and organizations as partners, sponsors the collections. Since the program began in 1989, 360 one-day collections have been conducted, with more than 315,000 households participating. In 2004, citizens turned in enough waste to fill 4,734 standard 55-gallon drums, which is enough hazardous waste to fill over 55 semitrailers. Most of the materials were recycled, treated or incinerated.

Additional items collected this year

New features were added to Household Hazardous Waste Collections in 2004. Donations of eyeglasses were accepted and distributed to those in need through the Lions Club International program. Cell phones were also collected and passed on to local charitable groups.

Another service added to some of the collections was providing rebates toward the purchase of electric and manual mowers in exchange for turning in old gas-powered mowers. Less-polluting gas cans were also exchanged at some events. As a result of these exchange events, 691 mowers were retired and 1,917 gas cans were exchanged.

Mercury reduction efforts increase in 2004

Citizens were also encouraged to bring mercury and mercury-containing products such as fever thermometers, old thermostats and elemental mercury from hobbyists to the collections, as part of the multifaceted initiative by Gov. Blagojevich and Illinois EPA to reduce the amount of this hazardous material in our environment. More than 13 of the 55-gallon drums were filled with mercury turned in at the 2004 collections. This includes mercury collections at schools, as part of the Governor's Green Schools Initiative to collect hazardous and dangerous chemicals from schools. In addition, Illinois EPA co-sponsored mercury thermometer exchanges at several hospitals help eliminate the mercury thermometers from the environment.

[Illinois Environmental Protection Agency news release]