See the cost in this story: https://blnnews.com/2018/01/17/the-cost-of-bloomingtons-recycle-failure/
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By: Diane Benjamin
I received a tip months ago about the City of Bloomington illegally dumping contaminated dirt, concrete, and other materials they dig up from water main breaks at Lake Bloomington.
I did a FOIA request with the IEPA for documents, I received 14. Since this was discovered in 2014 and settled in 2015, I didn’t post the information. Now seems like the perfect time to show you proof the local progressives think YOU should be forced to recycle, but they live by different rules. Government wants to hold a hammer over your head, but what they do doesn’t matter. Luckily the IEPA didn’t agree.
Here’s a few pics the IEPA took:
See more pics here: IEPA Pics Lake Bloomington
I have a total of 14 documents from the City and the IEPA. One reflects a fine of $2000 issued against Bloomington.
I believe this document is the initial notice of violation: 1138175001-012
Tari Renner signed the settlement documents.
Renner and Koos were probably cheering the County vote this morning. These documents prove they want laws to apply to you but not to them. If somebody hadn’t tipped off the IEPA in 2014 the City would still be illegally dumping hazardous waste right next to your drinking water. Where was the Ecology Action Center?
The City of Bloomington was forced to clean up the mess they created. I don’t know how much that cost.
If anybody wants to see all 14 documents, email me.
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“Renner and Koos were probably cheering the County vote this morning. These documents prove they want laws to apply to you but not to them. ”
Aren’t they both citizens of their respective communities? How do the laws not apply to them?
Their people issue the fines. Tari violated the policy about leaving his garbage cans visible and got out of a fine everybody else would have been forced to pay. Justice isn’t equal.
Municipalities have been doing that for years. I’m assuming because the concrete is good for removing phosphorus, creating fish habitat and stopping erosion (not to mention supporting local businesses selling fishing lures).
But in this case the material has been long exposed to the elements long removing it’s beneficial properties to remove phosphorus.
But, the other three benefactors are all present.
Long and short, mandatory recycling will happen in time, but not yet. For years Germany had mandatory recycling but the country had no idea what to do with it. It all got transported into an armed facility much like a war fort and incinerated. I still feel that local establishments are having a tough time properly processing recycled items efficiently (Obviously not doing like Germany did though).
The cost is substantial and it should be break even after selling the product.
I’m not sure Bloomington is as interested in recycling as Normal is, they still only do every other week pick up.
I’m also not sure the contamination level off what was dumped at the lake, but on the surface level, it was a good “up-cycle” or repurpose. Was there defined contamination or are people just making things harder for an already struggling governing body?
All I know is the IEPA issued numerous violations. Obviously they saw a problem.
Instead when they got caught they just took it to the McLean County landfill operated by Republic Services, I know because I worked there. Also it is illegal to dump landscape waste into landfills in Illinois, but Republic services let’s the city of Bloomington dump landscape waste by the truck loads.
How do they get by with it?
I’d say that was an expensive cleanup!
http://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=14298
Oh my! Thanks
The environmentally unfriendly dumping up at Lake Bloomington if you look over time satellite photos you can then see how many tons have been dumped. Before Jim Karch was here. EPA needs to do core drilling and review the satellite photos and other materials to show that indeed this site is a hazardous site and yes run off is going into streams. One can even see this in the satellite photos. Call the EPA and ask for complete review of the site. This needs to be a super fund clean up site consider it is just north of our drinking water. I have not drank Bloomington water for years (nitrates)
The City has been worried for years because it will cost millions to clean it up.
There is more there than those photos show. Rest assure EPA did not just show up in 2014 for the heck of it. It was reported to them other wise they would not be on-site taking photos. We have a recycle center on Bunn Street they could have been using even in 2014.
There are recycle/reuse facilities here in town for asphalt, concrete, stone, brick, and such. Why weren’t these used? Also, how did this refuse get contaminated?
It is stuff dug up from sewer and water main breaks.