On Nov. 10, 2022, the department and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 7 issued final hazardous waste permit modifications for the Green America Recycling facility. The department issued a final Missouri Hazardous Waste Management Facility Part I Class 3 Permit Modification for the Green America facility. EPA issued a Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments Part II Class 3 Permit Modification. The final hazardous waste permit modifications allow additional storage and treatment capacities throughout the entire facility and direct burning of liquid hazardous waste in the cement kiln and pre-calciner.
Any parties adversely affected or aggrieved by the department’s decision to approve the Class 3 Permit Modification, or specific conditions of the Class 3 Permit Modification, may be entitled to pursue an appeal before the Administrative Hearing Commission (AHC) by filing a written petition by Dec. 10, 2022, as more fully described on page 7 of the final Part I Class 3 Permit Modification. To appeal the Part II Class 3 Permit Modification, the written petition must be filed with the Environmental Appeals Board (EAB) by Dec. 2, 2022, according to the procedures outlined in Code of Federal Regulations 40 C.F.R. § 124.19(a). Contact information for the EAB and e-filing instructions can be found on the EAB website.
The Green America Recycling facility is located at 10107 Highway 79 in Hannibal, Missouri, and is operated by Green America Recycling LLC and Continental Cement Co. Green America operates a hazardous waste treatment and storage facility that receives, “blends” and stores a variety of liquid and solid hazardous waste-derived fuels used to heat a cement kiln operated by Continental Cement. Green America and Continental Cement are operating at the facility under two hazardous waste permits, a department-issued Missouri Hazardous Waste Management Facility Part I Permit and an EPA-issued Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments Part II Permit.
On April 11, 2020, Green America discovered an explosion incident occurred in the former Ball Mill Building, when unpermitted processing of reactive waste occurred. All solids processing at the facility stopped while a formal investigation was conducted. In response to the explosion incident, Green America and Continental Cement submitted a permit modification request on June 1, 2021, to add and identify miscellaneous treatment processes and units, change ventilation equipment and revise and update multiple plans. Green America originally requested to add EPA Waste Code D003, Reactive Waste, for treatment at the facility, but rescinded the request Sept. 24, 2021.
After a thorough technical review of the permit modification request and opportunity for public comment on the draft permit modifications, the department and EPA approved the modification request and issued final hazardous waste permit modifications. Electronic copies of the permit modification request, final Part I and Part II Permit modifications and summary and response to comments received during the public comment period are available below. Paper copies of these documents and supporting documents are available at the Hannibal Free Public Library, 200 S. 5th St., Hannibal, MO (during normal business hours); EPA Region 7 Records Center, Lenexa, Kansas (by appointment only: 800-223-0425) or the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, Elm Street Conference Center, Jefferson City, Missouri. Supporting documents are not available online due to their file size. An Open Records/ Sunshine Law Request will need to be submitted to review or obtain copies of the department's files.