Environmental Progress - Winter-Spring 2004

Littering on I-55

Enforcement and volunteer efforts lead to reduction

Livingston County Landfill has grown dramatically over the last decade to become the largest of Illinois' 52 active landfills in terms of waste received and the second largest in the nation. In 2002, the 254-acre landfill, which opened in 1978, disposed of 9.6 million cubic yards of waste - more than double that of the next largest landfill. Unfortunately, along with this growth came a serious litter problem along Interstate 55 between Pontiac and the Chicago area, where much of the waste originated.

Trash along Interstate 55 is being cleaned up.

Recently though, major steps have been taken to significantly reduce the amount of litter along that corridor. Allied Waste, operator of Livingston County Landfill, late last year, with the encouragement of the Governor and IEPA, instituted a new system to reduce litter by requiring improved truck tarping and educating the drivers and banning haulers for repeat violations. They also instituted a public complaint line, as well as adding more roadside pickup crews. These efforts have led to a vast improvement in the amount of litter along the I-55 roadside that had been unsightly and posed a potential health and safety hazard.

In addition, the Illinois EPA issued an Administrative Citation to one of the long-haul garbage trucking companies for allowing littering from one of its trucks returning to Chicago after delivering its load to the Livingston County Landfill in Pontiac. The truck was traveling north along I-55, with the tailgates fully open and litter falling out of the trailer, landing on the roadside, in violation of Illinois law. The citation provides for a fine of $1,500. "We believe that this citation sends a strong message to haulers that we intend to enforce existing litter laws," said Illinois EPA Director Renee Cipriano. "Gov. Blagojevich has asked the Agency to be vigilant in taking enforcement action against waste haulers that do not secure their loads."

The combination of enforcement efforts and the voluntary efforts of Allied Waste has resulted in a significant reduction of litter along I-55.