xvEPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Emergency planning
To make sure the VIM removal
project is conducted safely; local
emergency response officials
assisted in cleanup planning and will
visit the site on a regular basis.
Officials from EPA, the Baugo Fire
Department, the Elkhart County
Emergency Management Agency
and Indiana Department of
Environmental Management are
prepared to offer assistance in the
event of an emergency.
Oversight
Field inspectors from both EPA and
IDEM are present on-site several
times each week to oversee the
cleanup. Please feel free to contact
any of the individuals on the back of
this fact sheet with questions or for
more information.
On the Web
A Web site is being maintained and
updated regularly as the cleanup
progresses.
http://www.vimrecycling.com/
The Web site contains links to a
copy of the Administrative Consent
Order, press releases and all monthly
progress reports on removal of the
debris pile. It is updated each month
to show the latest details and
photographs from the site.
Contact information for EPA and
IDEM representatives is on the
backpage of this fact sheet.
EPA Oversees Removal Action
To Stop Open Burning
VIM Recycling Inc. Site
Elkhart, Indiana
August 2009
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 5 is overseeing the removal of
a burning debris pile at VIM Recycling Inc. in order to protect residents from
smoke. In response to citizen complaints and inquiries from local officials,
EPA inspected the facility in May and found a large pile of smoldering wood
waste releasing smoke into the neighborhood. As a result of the inspection,
EPA issued a Notice of Violation for open burning on May 8. In late June
EPA negotiated and entered into a legal agreement with VIM called an
administrative consent order that requires the company to remove the burning
wood waste from the site.
Cleanup actions
A large pile of wood waste called the "C Pile" was ignited after an explosion
at VIM in 2007 and was still smoldering nearly two years later. To clean up
the C Pile, a large excavator is being used to dig up wood waste and place it
into a mechanical screener where it separates soil, rocks and smaller pieces of
wood from larger wood segments. These larger pieces are then loaded onto
trucks and sent to a nearby landfill for disposal. Residents may notice lots of
activity around the site as dozens of trucks come and go each work day. EPA
expects the removal project to be completed later this year, which will
eliminate the source of the smoke and reduce odors from the site.
Safety measures
During the cleanup, EPA is ensuring workers make every effort to reduce the
amount of smoke and dust escaping from the location. Due to the heat within
the C Pile, it is impossible to stop all emissions, but workers are spraying
water on roadways to control dust and applying soil, water and foam to
extinguish fires. Temperatures are constantly monitored in the waste material
during excavation, loading, transport and disposal to prevent new fires. In
addition, the site is being monitored regularly to catch and put out any fires
that may arise during nights and weekends.
Heavy equipment loads a debris pile on a sorting machine as part of EPA 's
removal project at the VIM Recycling site.
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Contact information
You may contact these team members for questions, comments or for more information:
William Omohundro
EPA Press Team
Office of Public Affairs (P-19J)
EPA Region 5
77 W. Jackson Blvd.
Chicago, IL 60604-3590
Phone: 312-353-8254 or
800-621-8431, Ext. 38254
9:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m., weekdays
E-mail: omohundro.william@epa.gov
Tania McDonald
Complaint Coordinator
Indiana Department of Environmental
Management
100N. Senate Ave.
Indianapolis, IN 46204-2251
Phone: 317-232-4464
800-451-6027, Ext. 24464
8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., weekdays
Web: http://idem.in.gov/5274.htm
Paul Ruesch
EPA Environmental Engineer
Land and Chemicals Division (L-8J)
EPA Region 5
77 W. Jackson Blvd.
Chicago, IL 60604-3590
Phone: 312-886-7898 or
800-621-8431, Ext. 67898
9:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m., weekdays
E-mail: ruesch.paul@epa.gov
Shannon Downey
EPA Environmental Engineer
Air and Radiation Division (AE-17J)
EPA Region 5
77 W. Jackson Blvd.
Chicago, IL 60604
Phone: 312-353-2151 or
800-621-8431, Ext. 32151
9:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m., weekdays
E-mail: downey.shannon@epa.gov
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