Joliet machinery company spills 65,000 gallons toxic oil sludge!

2009-02-09 20:06:44 (GMT) (JusticeNewsFlash.com - Justice News Flash, Personal Injury)

Wiki Image:Catepillar dumps 65,000 gallons of toxic oil sludge

Catepillar dumps 65,000 gallons of toxic oil sludge contaminating Des Plaines River.

Chicago, IL (JusticeNewsFlash.com)–Caterpillar, Inc., a Peoria, Illinois based construction and mining machinery manufacturing company is responsible for a 65,000 gallon oil sludge overflow at its Joliet facility. As reported by the Associated Press (AP), Caterpillar’s Joliet facility holding tank overflowed, spilling 65,000 gallons of toxic oil sludge onto land with an estimated 6,000 gallons flowing into the Des Plaines River stretching for 3 miles on Sunday. The U.S. Coast Guard has suspended boat and barge traffic and is attempting to assist in the oil sludge spill containment.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) www.epa.gov has federal and state response teams evaluating the area and has reported the oil waste leaked from Caterpillar’s 40,000 gallon open air holding tank when a pump failed on Sunday. The Joliet Police Department has not issued an evacuation order and officials with Caterpillar and state and federal agencies are attempting to contain the spill and clean up the damage. The toxic oil sludge poses a serious risk and danger to animals and wildlife including water ways in the contaminated area.

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