STATE OF INDIANA

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SS:

BEFORE THE INDIANA DEPARTMENT OF

 

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COUNTY OF MARION

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ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT

 

COMMISSIONER OF THE DEPARTMENT

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OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT,

 

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Complainant,

 

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v.

 

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Case No. 2022-28689-S

 

 

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LIBERTY TIRE SERVICES OF OHIO LLC

 

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D/B/A LIBERTY TIRE RECYCLING LLC,

 

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Respondent.

 

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AGREED ORDER

 

Complainant and Respondent desire to settle and compromise this action without hearing or adjudication of any issue of fact or law, and consent to the entry of the following Findings of Fact and Order. Pursuant to Indiana Code (“IC”) 13-30-3-3, entry into the terms of this Agreed Order does not constitute an admission of any violation contained herein. Respondent’s entry into this Agreed Order shall not constitute a waiver of any defense, legal or equitable, which Respondent may have in any future administrative or judicial proceeding, except a proceeding to enforce this order.

 

I. FINDINGS OF FACT

 

1.            Complainant is the Commissioner (“Complainant”) of the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (“IDEM”), a department of the State of Indiana created by IC 13-13-1-1.

 

2.            Respondent is Liberty Tire Services of Ohio LLC d/b/a Liberty Tire Recycling LLC (“Respondent”), which owns and operates the company with waste tire storage, processing and transporter facility located at 906 South State Street, in North Liberty, St. Joseph County, Indiana (the “Site”). The facility is a registered waste tire storage site (No. 071-S-00531), waste tire processor (No. 071-P-00497) and waste tire transporter (No. 071-T-00025). The waste tire storage site registration expires on July 1, 2022. IDEM received Respondent’s waste tire storage renewal registration on May 5, 2022. IDEM received Respondent’s waste tire processor renewal registration on July 3, 2019. IDEM received Respondent’s waste tire transporter renewal registration on July 29, 2019.

 

3.            Respondent collects scrap automobile, truck and off-road tires and offers remediation services for scrap tire dump sites to manage end of life tires in an environmentally safe way.  Scrap tires are converted into raw materials that can be reused for products such as molded rubber goods, rubber flooring, rubberized asphalt and shock absorbing athletic surfaces, as well as playground and landscape mulch.

 

4.            IDEM has jurisdiction over the parties and the subject matter of this action.

 

5.            Pursuant to IC 13-30-3-3, IDEM issued a Notice of Violation (“NOV”) via Certified Mail and email to:

 

Frank DeCarlo, Member for

Liberty Tire Services of Ohio LLC

d/b/a Liberty Tire Recycling LLC

600 River Avenue, 3rd Floor

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15212

 

Corporate Service Company, Registered Agent for

Liberty Tire Services of Ohio LLC

d/b/a Liberty Tire Recycling LLC

135 North Pennsylvania Street, Suite 1610

Indianapolis, Indiana 46204

 

John Dillon, Vice President, Great Lakes Region for

Liberty Tire Recycling LLC

jdillon@libertytire.com

 

Jeff Reynolds, Facility Contact for

Liberty Tire Recycling LLC

jreynolds@libertytire.com

 

Angela Fornal, environmental Contact for

Liberty Tire Recycling LLC

fornal@libertytire.com

 

6.            During an investigation including an inspection on May 16, 2022 conducted by a representative of IDEM, the following violations were found:

 

a.         Pursuant to 329 Indiana Administrative Code (“IAC”) 15-3-17(j)(1), the owner or operator of a waste tire storage site or waste tire processing operation shall prevent water from accumulating in waste tires by doing all of the following:

(1)       Waste tires must be drained:

(A)       on the day of receipt; and

(B)       as necessary thereafter to prevent accumulation of water in the waste tires.

 

As noted during the inspection, waste tires at Pile F2 were observed to contain water.

 

As noted during the July 5, 2022 inspection, waste tiers at Pile F1 and C2 were observed to contain water.

 

b.         Pursuant to 329 IAC 15-3-17(j)(3), the owner or operator of a waste tire storage site or waste tire processing operation shall prevent water from accumulating in waste tires by doing all of the following:

(3)       Waste tires must not be stored in areas of standing water.

 

As noted during the inspection, waste tires at Piles D1 and E2 were observed to be sitting in standing water.

 

As noted during the July 5, 2022 inspection, waste tires at F1 and G were observed to be sitting in standing water.

 

c.         Pursuant to 329 IAC 13-4-3(c), containers and aboveground tanks used to store used oil at generator facilities must:

(1)       be in good condition with no severe rusting, apparent structural defects, or deterioration; and

(2)       not be leaking (no visible leaks)

 

As noted during the inspection, a 250-gallon tote of used oil was observed to have bulges and dents.

 

            As noted during the July 5, 2022 inspection, the used oil had been transferred to a container in good condition and was properly labeled.

 

d.         Pursuant to 329 IAC 13-4-3(e), upon detection of release of used oil to the environment not subject to the requirements of 40 CFR 280 Subpart F, which has occurred after the effective date of this rule, a generator must perform the following clean up steps:

(1)       Stop the release.

(2)       Contain the released used oil.

(3)       Clean up and manage properly the released used oil and other materials.

(4)       Communicate a spill report in accordance with 327 IAC 2-6.1.

(5)       If necessary to prevent future releases, repair or replace any leaking used oil storage containers or tanks prior to returning them to service.

 

As noted during the inspection, oil in the service garage was observed to have been spilled in an area measuring approximately four feet by four feet under a new oil tank.

 

As noted during the July 5, 2022 inspection, the oil spill in the garage had been properly remediated.

 

e.         Pursuant to Indiana Code (“IC”) 13-30-2-1(4) and (5), a person may not allow the deposit of any contaminants or solid waste upon the land or into the environment.

 

Pursuant to 329 IAC 10-4-2, no person shall cause or allow the storage, containment, processing, or disposal of solid waste in a manner which creates a threat to human health or the environment, including the creating of a fire hazard, vector attraction, air or water pollution, or other contamination.

 

Pursuant to 329 IAC 10-4-3, open dumping and open dumps, as those terms are defined in IC 13-11-2-146 and IC 13-11-2-147, are prohibited and must be remediated.

 

As noted during the inspection, shredded tire debris, a solid waste, was observed across South State Street on the driveway and yard of a private residence. The deposition of waste shredded tire debris off-site is disposal of such waste debris, and thus created an open dump.

 

As noted during the July 5, 2022 inspection, a de minimis amount of shredded tire debris was observed on the driveway and yard of a private residence.

 

f.          Pursuant to Waste Tire Storage Permit No. 071-S-00531, issued to Respondent on July 20, 2017, condition 4 requires, the registrant must not store more than 88,000 passenger tire equivalents (“PTE”), in whole tires and shredded tire pieces.

 

As noted during the inspection, the facility stored approximately 194,643 PTEs on-site.

 

As noted during the July 5, 2022 inspection, the facility reduced the number of PTEs stored on-site to 44,928.

 

7.            Orders of the Commissioner are subject to administrative review by the Office of Environmental Adjudication under IC 4-21.5; however, in recognition of the settlement reached, Respondent acknowledges notice of this right and waives any right to administrative and judicial review of this Agreed Order.

 

II. ORDER

 

1.            This Agreed Order shall be effective (“Effective Date”) when it is approved by Complainant or Complainant’s delegate and has been received by Respondent. This Agreed Order shall have no force or effect until the Effective Date.

 

2.            Respondent shall comply with statutes and rules listed in the findings here at issue.

 

3.            Within thirty (30) days of the Effective Date, Respondent shall comply with 329 IAC 15-3-17(j)(1). Specifically, Respondent shall drain waste tires on the day of receipt and as necessary thereafter to prevent accumulation of water in waste tires.

 

4.            Within thirty (30) days of the Effective Date, Respondent shall comply with 329 IAC 15-3-17(j)(3). Specifically, Respondent shall not store waste tires in standing water.

 

5.            All submittals required by this Agreed Order, unless IDEM notifies the Respondent otherwise in writing, shall be sent to:

 

Jodi Pisula, Enforcement Case Manager

Office of Land Quality

Indiana Department of Environmental Management

100 North Senate Avenue

Indianapolis, IN 46204-2251

 

6.            Pursuant to IC 13-30-4-1, Respondent is assessed and agrees to pay a civil penalty of Twenty-One Thousand Four Hundred Dollars ($21,400.00). Respondent shall pay by the due date printed on the Invoice, as attached.

 

Civil and stipulated penalties are payable to the “Waste Tire Fund” by:

 

Mail:

“Waste Tire Fund”. Checks shall include the Case Number of this action and shall be mailed to:

 

Indiana Department of Environmental Management

Accounts Receivable

IGCN, Room 1340

100 North Senate Avenue

Indianapolis, IN 46204

 

Online:

Accounts Receivable is accepting payments online by e-Check, Master Card, Visa or Discover. Please visit www.IN.gov/IDEM. Under Online Services, click Online Payment options and follow the prompts. A processing fee of $1 plus 1.99% will be charged for credit card payments. A processing fee of $1.00 will be charged for eCheck payments.

 

The Case Number is required to complete the process.

 

Phone:

You may also call us at 317-234-3099 and follow the instructions for Master Card, Visa or Discover payments. A processing fee of $1 plus 1.99% will be charged for credit card payments. A processing fee of $1.00 will be charged for eCheck payments.

 

The Case Number is required to complete the process.

 

7.            In the event the terms and conditions of the following paragraphs are violated, Complainant may assess, and Respondent shall pay stipulated penalties in the following amounts:

 

Paragraph

Stipulated Penalty

Order paragraph #3

$100.00 per week

Order paragraph #4

$100.00 per week

 

8.            Stipulated penalties shall be due and payable no later than the thirtieth day after Respondent receives written notice that Complainant has determined a stipulated penalty is due; the thirtieth day being the “Due Date.” Complainant may notify Respondent at any time that a stipulated penalty is due. Failure to notify Respondent in writing in a timely manner of a stipulated penalty assessment shall not waive Complainant’s right to collect such stipulated penalty or preclude Complainant from seeking additional relief against Respondent for violation of this Agreed Order. Neither assessment nor payment of stipulated penalties shall preclude Complainant from seeking additional relief against Respondent for a violation of this Agreed Order; such additional relief includes any remedies or sanctions available pursuant to Indiana law, including, but not limited to, civil penalties pursuant to IC 13-30-4.

 

9.            In the event that the monies due to IDEM pursuant to this Agreed Order are not paid on or before their Due Date, Respondent shall pay an additional penalty of 10 percent, payable to the “Waste Tire Fund” and shall be payable to IDEM in the manner specified in Paragraph 6, above.

 

10.         This Agreed Order apply to and be binding upon Respondent and all successors and assigns. Respondent shall provide a copy of this Agreed Order, if in force, to any subsequent owners, successors, or assigns before ownership rights are transferred.

 

11.         No change in ownership, corporate, or partnership status of Respondent shall in any way alter the Respondent’s status or responsibilities under this Agreed Order.

 

12.         Respondent shall ensure that all contractors, firms, and other persons performing work under this Agreed Order comply with the terms of this Agreed Order.

 

13.         In the event that any terms of this Agreed Order are found to be invalid, the remaining terms shall remain in full force and effect and shall be construed and enforced as if this Agreed Order did not contain the invalid terms.

 

14.         This Agreed Order is not and shall not be interpreted to be a permit or a modification of an existing permit. This Agreed Order, and IDEM’s review or approval of any submittal made by Respondent pursuant to this Agreed Order, shall not in any way relieve Respondent of the obligation to comply with the requirements of any applicable permits or any applicable Federal or State laws or regulations.

 

15.         Complainant does not, by its approval of this Agreed Order, warrant or aver in any manner that Respondent’s compliance with any aspect of this Agreed Order will result in compliance with the provisions of any permit, order, or any applicable Federal or State law or regulation. Additionally, IDEM or anyone acting on its behalf shall not be held liable for any costs or penalties Respondent may incur as a result of Respondent’s efforts to comply with this Agreed Order.

 

16.         Nothing in this Agreed Order shall prevent or limit IDEM’s rights to obtain penalties or injunctive relief under any applicable Federal or State law or regulation, except that IDEM may not, and hereby waives its right to seek additional civil penalties for the violations specified in the NOV.

 

17.         Nothing in this Agreed Order shall prevent IDEM or anyone acting on its behalf from communicating with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) or any other agency or entity about any matters relating to this enforcement action. IDEM or anyone acting on its behalf shall not be held liable for any costs or penalties Respondent may incur as a result of such communications with the U.S. EPA or any other agency or entity.

 

18.         This Agreed Order shall remain in effect until IDEM issues a Resolution of Case letter to Respondent.

 

TECHNICAL RECOMMENDATION:

RESPONDENT:

Department of Environmental Management

Liberty Tire Services of Ohio LLC

 

d/b/a Liberty Tire Recycling LLC

By:

 

By:

Jennifer Reno, Chief

Printed:

Land Enforcement Section

Title:

Compliance Branch

Office of Land Quality

Date:

 

Date:

COUNSEL FOR RESPONDENT:

By:

Printed:

Date:

APPROVED AND ADOPTED BY THE INDIANA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL

MANAGEMENT THIS

DAY OF

, 20_____

For the Commissioner:

Signed 7/21/2022

Peggy Dorsey

Assistant Commissioner

Office of Land Quality