Deep Blue Illinois Blog

Hat tip: No Burn Evanston December 3, 2008

After a lengthy legal battle, the U.S. EPA has finally issued a new rule that more stringently regulates the toxic emissions from medical waste incinerators, according to environmental writer Mike Hawthorne in today’s Chicago Tribune. Prompted by the efforts of a local grass-roots campaign in Evanston led by Claire Kelly Delgado, Dr. Matt Wynia and their neighbors who formed No Burn Evanston, the Illinois EPA under then-director Renee Cipriano diligently worked to establish a phased-in state ban on such facilities.

The tenacity of this group of citizen activists prevailed not only here in Evanston, where they pressured our local hospital to shut down its on-site medical waste incinerator, but also contributed mightily to our successful fight to improve air quality in a number of other communities across Illinois.

Congratulations to my neighbors on a big win nationally.