Chicago Area Tire Incinerator to Close

According to the Chicago Tribune, a tire incinerator in the Chicago suburb of Ford Heights, Ill., will permanently close. The closure is part of a legal settlement announced Feb. 25, 2013. According to the report, the incinerator was plagued by nearly two decades of pollution and financial problems. According to reports, court documents indicate The facility’s latest owner, Geneva Energy, hasn’t operated the tire incinerator since August 2011.

According to the Chicago Tribune, a federal civil rights investigation into why former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich's administration awarded a permit in 2005 to restart the controversial tire burner is still ongoing.

In the article, Susan Hedman, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regional administrator, is quoted as saying,"This settlement will eliminate the source of almost 200 tons of air pollutants each year in a community that has historically been disproportionately impacted by environmental contamination."

The Tribune reports Geneva Energy surrendered its permits as part of the settlement.