Markham Businessman In Trouble For Dumping
MARKHAM, Ill. (WBBM/CBS) -- Promising to crack down on those who illegally dump garbage in poor areas of southern Cook County, the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency is targeting a prominent Markham businessman.
As WBBM Newsradio 780's Dave Marsett reports, businessman Jim Bracken is the subject of the crackdown. The Chicago Tribune reports Bracken is a "chronic" violator of environmental regulations, and referred his case to the Illinois Attorney General's office to seek compliance.
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Bracken owns Brackenbox Dumpster service, as well as a transfer and recycling center in Markham.
The paper says records show Bracken has been cited at least nine times since 2009 with various environmental infractions, from illegally dumping crushed drywall in an open field to improperly accepting household hazardous waste, garbage and landscaping debris at his Markham transfer station.
In 2009, Bracken won a $6 million waste removal contract with the city of Chicago.
This is not the first time in the past year that dumping in Markham has made headlines.
Last year, a total of 42,000 cubic yards of non-hazardous waste are festering at the 12-acre dump site, which is bounded generally by Western Avenue on the west, 161st Place on the south, Dixie Highway on the east, and 160th Street on the north, officials said.
An inspection in April of last year revealed extensive open dumping of tires, vehicles, boats, trailer homes, and general construction and demolition debris. Inspectors also observed abandoned drums and pool chemicals, and noted that a significant portion of the waste had been burned a few days before.
The EPA warned of a danger that people could be exposed to contamination from the drums and abandoned chemicals at the site.
The EPA also immediately moved to apply a chemical to kill mosquito larvae and remove 25,000 discarded tires.
