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Illinois

Hazardous Waste

Agency Illinois Environmental Protection Agency

Illinois runs parts of the federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) as its own hazardous waste program, which follows hazardous waste from generation to disposal. At the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (Illinois EPA) the Bureau of Land's Permit Section carries it out. Its rules are in Title 35 of the Illinois Administrative Code, Parts 700 to 739, which the agency points to on the Pollution Control Board's regulations page.

In a Phase I ESA

ASTM E1527-21 lists state hazardous waste facility records among its standard sources, and the federal RCRA lists as well; their general reading is on the RCRA Generators page, the RCRA TSD page and the RCRA CORRACTS page. The Hazardous Waste page links Illinois EPA's Permitted Facilities list among its related programs, and the Bureau of Land Databases page links a RCRA Database, but neither is described as a list of hazardous waste facilities alone (the Permitted Facilities groups include compost and medical waste facilities), so this handbook pairs none. Three Illinois records come closest.

  • Permits. Unless exempt, a facility that treats, stores or disposes of hazardous waste needs a permit. One that takes waste from off site, or manages waste other than remediation waste on site, needs a RCRA Part B permit. One managing remediation waste on site can instead use a RCRA Remedial Action Plan Permit, which the agency describes as a simpler alternative. The Bureau of Land's RCRA Database searches the permit records.
  • Cleanups at RCRA facilities. Illinois EPA's page on Hazardous Waste (RCRA) Remediation Projects names three kinds: closing former waste management units at interim status and permitted facilities, corrective action at permitted facilities, and some work under a Remedial Action Plan Permit. The Permit Section reviews their plans and reports. Its fact sheet on No Further Remediation letters says a closed unit can receive an Acceptance of Certification of Closure, and a solid waste management unit handled under a permit's corrective action terms can receive a no further remediation determination.
  • Reports from generators. Each year, Illinois EPA says, generators report the hazardous waste they made the year before and how they managed it, and treatment, storage and disposal facilities report what they received. A large quantity generator also reports where it shipped its waste and pays a $500 annual fee with the report, due March 1. Under the federal generator rule Illinois adopted in 2019, small quantity generators re-notify their status every four years on EPA Form 8700-12, the first time by September 1, 2021; the page names U.S. EPA as the recipient in one place and Illinois EPA in another.

Illinois EPA's inspectors, its Compliance and Enforcement page says, visit hazardous waste facilities in rotation. Its violation notices and agreements are on the Compliance and Enforcement page.

Where to look a site up

  • The Bureau of Land Databases page links a RCRA Database, described as a search of the RCRA permit database. This handbook did not open it.
  • Illinois EPA's Permitted Facilities page calls its list of permitted storage, treatment, recycling, incineration and processing facilities the STRIP list, and divides it by type, among them incinerators, transfer stations, secondary fuel blenders, solvents, oils, precious metals, aqueous waste treaters, biological treatment, potentially infectious medical waste and compost. Its key tells a granted RCRA Part B permit from interim status (a permit under review), and lists operating, experimental, supplemental and generic permits. The page says a listing implies no endorsement and an absence no disapproval.
  • The Permit Section is at 217-524-3300 and EPA.BOL.Permits@illinois.gov.

Getting the file

Illinois EPA takes requests under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act through its online FOIA Request Web Form, which needs an account, or by fax, U.S. mail or special carrier. Give the facility name, address, permit number and any Agency or Bureau ID number. Fees, reply times and the options for large files are on the FOIA requests page.

Sources

Illinois Environmental Protection Agency pages, read October 13, 2026:

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