Aluminum Castings emmisions are not hazardous and well within limit: reports

Whether an odor is given off by production at Aluminum Castings or not, one thing seems clear from information provided by the Illinois and U.S. Environmental Protection agencies: The company produces minimal pollution that is unlikely to be hazardous to anyone’s health.

The issue surfaced June 4 during the first reading of a City Council resolution to allow the sand mold foundry to produce heavy industrial work in its building zoned for light industrial. The company has plans for a $2 million expansion that will double its workforce from 30 to 60.

Alderman Peter Schwartzman, Ward 5, opposed the resolution because of concerns increased emissions would be harmful to children at the nearby YMCA Kid Station, as well as to people downtown.

“The release of unknown chemical effluents and the plant’s proximity to four learning and recreational centers for young children, given their greater vulnerability to exposure, because of small body size, types of behavior, and ongoing development of organs, concerns me,” Schwartzman said last week in a prepared statement.

The alderman also expressed concern about the smell that comes from the facility. However, Schwartzman has, to this point, presented no numbers to back up his assertions.

As it now stands, Aluminum Castings produces a minimal amount of pollution. The facility qualifies for the IEPA’s Registration of Smaller Sources program.

As required by Public Act 097-0095, the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency created the ROSS Program that is believed to apply to more than 3,000 permitted sources which combined produce less than 1 percent of the air pollution Illinois. The program is intended to simplify air regulatory requirements by requiring sources with low emissions to register with the agency rather than acquiring an air permit.

Aluminum Castings recently received a permit through the ROSS program, which has emission thresholds. Actual emissions from the source’s emission units are less than the limits for the prior calendar year:

“The program is intended to simplify air regulatory requirements by requiring sources with low emissions to register with the Agency rather than acquiring an air permit,” according to the IEPA. “It is important to note that although the source may no longer be subject to permitting requirements, the source must still comply with all applicable environmental laws and regulations.”