Healthy Chicago: Expanded Focus on Environmental Health Presentation to the Chicago Board of Health September 19, 2012

1. Healthy Chicago: Expanded Focus on
Environmental Health
Presentation to the Chicago Board of Health
September 19, 2012
Kevin Schnoes
Jennifer Hesse
Environmental Permitting and Inspection

2. Goal – Protect Chicagoans and reduce
environmental health and safety risks
To achieve goal, Environmental Permitting & Inspection (P&I) is
organized into four units :
1. Air/Asbestos
2. Hazardous Materials / Waste Permitting
3. Field Operations
4. Storage Tanks
Each unit also operates in conjunction with the state through
delegation agreements
Annually, issue approximately 8,000 permits, conduct 12,000
inspections, initiate over 1,000 enforcement actions

3. Air/Asbestos Unit
• Permit & inspect:
- Commercial and industrial facilities to ensure equipment
is operated properly and air emissions are minimized
- Demolition and renovation activities to ensure asbestos is
contained and/or removed and disposed of properly
• Air quality outreach
- Participate in Partners for Clean Air
- Maintain phone hotline for daily reporting of air quality
- Notify city workers & residents of Air Pollution Action
Days

4. Hazardous Materials/Waste Permitting Unit
• Permit solid waste facilities to regulate and encourage
recycling instead of landfilling or illegal dumping
• Provide opportunities for residents to remove toxic items
from their homes:
- Household Chemicals & Computer Recycling Facility
- City-wide pharmaceutical collection program
• Hazardous material response and preparedness
- Maintain inventory of chemical use and storage in the city

5. Field Operations Unit
• Monthly inspections of solid waste management facilities,
such as recycling centers and transfer stations
• Cross-trained to operate in other units
• Primary response for citizen complaints regarding odors, air
emissions, illegal dumping, idling vehicles, etc.

6. Storage Tank Unit
• Many Chicago residents live in close proximity (<25’) to tanks
- Over 5,000 aboveground and underground storage tanks
in the city
• Ensure:
- Storage tanks containing petroleum-based products are
operated properly and not leaking
- Proper and timely cleanup activities are taken for leaking
tanks

7. Examples of P & I in Practice

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@ChiPublicHealth
312.747.9884
CityofChicago.org/Health
HealthyChicago@CityofChicago.org