The state of Ohio’s Environmental Protection Agency has extended until Nov. 1, 2006 its public comment period for draft rules to regulate waste disposal in the state
The goal of the draft rules is to provide requirements for protective liners at construction and demolition landfills, as well as industrial waste landfills and disposal lagoons.
The Ohio EPA began evaluating its liner requirements in 2004 in response to concerns about disposal requirements for industrial waste. While Ohio EPA was researching possible alternatives, the Ohio General Assembly passed two bills to strengthen regulations for C&DD landfills.
HB 432 requires Ohio EPA to develop rules to create a ground water monitoring fee on disposal of C&DD. HB 397 requires Ohio EPA to adopt rules to govern ground water and leachate monitoring, closure and post-closure care of C&DD facilities: prohibit pulverized debris; and require compliance history disclosures. It also requires Ohio EPA to establish a permitting program for construction and demolition debris facilities, including expanded siting criteria.
Following extensive research using available science and Ohio-specific data, Ohio EPA has proposed a consistent approach to liner standards based on the potential environmental impacts of the facility independent of its legal classification. As a result, the draft rules include 14 liner options for lagoon systems, 12 options for industrial waste landfills and seven options for C&DD landfills. Requirements range from no liner at all to a five-foot thick recompacted clay liner combined with a dense plastic liner. Requirements for C&DD landfills range from a minimal recompacted soil liner to a five-foot thick recompacted clay liner combined with a dense plastic liner.
Information about these rules can be obtained on Ohio EPA's Web site at: <http://www.epa.state.oh.us/dsiwm/> or by calling (614) 644-2621.
To comment on the rules, contact Scott Heidenreich at (614) 728-5333, or send written comments by e-mail to scott.heidenreich@epa.state.oh.us or by mail to Ohio EPA, Division of Solid and Infectious Waste Management, P.O. Box 1049, Columbus, Ohio 43216-1049, no later than November 1, 2006.