News Releases - 2003

Illinois EPA Director Issues Seal Order on Danville Property

Springfield, Ill. -- Illinois Environmental Protection Agency Director Renee Cipriano today issued an order to seal the property known as Interstate Heat Treating Inc. in Danville, because of a potential health hazard from drums of chemicals left at the abandoned facility.

The Administrative Seal Order prohibits entry to the site by anyone except authorized personnel in the performance of official duties and requires anyone entering the site to comply with applicable OSHA regulations. The property was ordered sealed until the contamination has been remediated to the satisfaction of Illinois EPA or the order has been rescinded.

Illinois EPA inspectors visited the site at 2603 Georgetown Road on Tuesday, as a result of a citizen inquiry.

Several abandoned drums were observed, including four fiber drums labeled Barium Chloride. Barium Chloride is a hazardous substance that may cause severe injury or death from inhalation, ingestion or skin contact. In case of a leak, it is recommended that persons be evacuated for a distance of at least 80 to 160 feet in all directions.

"It is especially important that the public not enter this site until all potential hazards have been addressed and we are particularly concerned that a school building is adjacent to the site," said Director Cipriano.

Illinois EPA also anticipates requesting that the Illinois Attorney General's Office seek immediate injunctive relief to require those responsible for abandoning the waste on the site to do a comprehensive investigation and cleanup. An investigation of potential owners of the property and the prior business operations is still underway. Samples of other containers were also taken for analysis.

Seal Order warning signs and hazard warning tape were placed at the site this afternoon by IEPA personnel.

Potential access by trespassers and debris associated with human activity on the site was also observed by Illinois EPA staff, although the electricity was not operational and there were no personnel or machines installed except for some heating furnaces in a state of deterioration.