State AG Files Suit Against Company for Illegal Dumping

Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan has filed suit against a Cass County, IL, company alleging illegal dumping and burning of demolition debris and other refuse on property it owns in and near Arenzville, IL. Some of the debris allegedly included regulated asbestos-containing materials.

In March 2003, an Illinois Environmental Protection Agency inspection revealed that assorted wastes, old appliances, waste tires and whole transite panels - that inspectors suspected contained asbestos - were dumped on property owned by Casswood, Inc.

According to the suit, IEPA inspectors went to another location in Arenzville. also owned by Casswood, and found that two cooling towers containing the same honeycomb style of transite material had been dumped there. Subsequent test analysis revealed identical concentrations of asbestos.

The suit also alleges that there is a significant pile of sawdust at the Herbert Road site in violation of the environmental laws. At one time, Casswood, Inc. operated a saw mill under the name of Huey Forest Products.

Madigan’s eight-count complaint charges Casswood, Inc. with numerous violations of the Illinois Environmental Protection Act for open dumping, open burning, storage and disposal violations and air pollution at its Herbert Road property. The IEPA referred the case to Madigan’s office.

Madigan’s complaint also alleges Casswood violated National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants regulations for asbestos handling and disposal including its failure to provide IEPA with written notification of the renovation of the cooling towers in Arenzville that contained the suspected RACM. Madigan’s complaint also charges Casswood with air pollution violations at the Arenzville site based on allegations of likely emissions of asbestos due to the fact that some of the RACM were broken, crushed or crumbled during or after their removal from the cooling towers.

Madigan said that family members still associated with Casswood, Inc. are cooperating with her office and the IEPA in removing the RACM from the site; however, the sizeable sawdust pile still remains.