Chicago Takes On 'Black Dust'

March 7, 2014- Chicago has not yet banned petroleum coke, or "petcoke," but the city appears set to take another big step in its crackdown against the mostly-carbon black dust.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel and two Chicago aldermen -- Alds. John Pope and Ed Burke – planned to introduce a new ordinance that would ban new petcoke facilities from opening in the city.

The ordinance would also ban further expansion of existing facilities that either “process, store or handle the material,” a City Hall press release says.

Petcoke, comprised mostly of carbon and sulfur, is an issue in the Midwest as the BP refinery in Whiting, Ind., has increased output of the dust, causing piles that form black clouds that blow into nearby neighborhoods.

“These efforts are a significant step to prevent dust from settling in residential areas. We will continue to work to regulate their operations to ensure our residents have the best possible quality of life," the mayor said in a statement.

The move comes on the heels of Emanuel shutting down a proposal from Burke in December that would have banned petcoke facilities from the city.

Meanwhile, the Chicago Department of Public Health is also on the verge of finalizing additional regulations on petcoke facilities in the city, including a requirement that petcoke storage be completely enclosed, preventing the oil refining byproduct from polluting the air or water, according to the mayor's office.

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