KDHE Home - News 2001 - New Release
Kansas
Department of Health & Environment
Bill Graves, Governor
Clyde D. Graeber, Secretary
For Immediate Release
November 20, 2001
Contact: Mike Heideman, 785-296-5795
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment has issued an administrative order assessing a $2,000 civil penalty against Industrial Crating, Inc., St. Paul, for violating its Air Emissions Source Construction Permit and Kansas Air Quality regulations.
The permit authorized Industrial Crating to burn only clean untreated lumber and yard waste in a wood combustor during the months from January to May and August to December of any calendar year. This is how the company was authorized to dispose of waste wood generated by its crating operation.
The department investigated and responded to a series of complaints regarding unauthorized open burning of wood items in an outdoor pit at the company's facility between April 30, 2000 and May 15, 2001. As a result of complaints investigated on March 22 and April 14, 2000, the department issued Notices of Non-Compliance to Industrial Crating, specifically directing the company to cease all open burning at the facility.
On April 28, 2000 the KDHE Southeast District Office in Chanute received an application from Industrial Crating requesting an exemption to openly burn wood in the outdoor pit area. The department denied the exemption in a letter dated May 24, 2000 because the facility had permitted a wood combustor to dispose of clean untreated lumber and yard waste in this device.
A KDHE staff member noticed on May 7, 2001 that the company was stockpiling waste wood in the pit area and sent a letter to company officials reminding them that open burning was unauthorized. On May 26, 2001, a department official drove past the facility and observed wood items being burned in the outdoor pit area.
The department's order is subject to administrative appeal.