Illinois combines a major metropolitan industrial corridor along Lake Michigan with a vast agricultural interior and a significant coal ash impoundment closure inventory downstate — making the state one of the most varied geomembrane liner markets in the Midwest. The Chicago metropolitan area’s refineries, chemical distributors, and industrial facilities along the lakefront and Illinois River corridor concentrate secondary containment demand in the densest industrial geography in the region. Downstate, former Ameren and ComEd coal generation facilities are closing ash impoundments under EPA CCR Rule timelines. And central Illinois’s agriculture represents one of the most productive corn and soybean systems in the world. International Cover Systems (ICS) brings the installation expertise and IEPA compliance knowledge to serve Illinois liner projects across these distinct sectors, with regional support from its Midwest office in Traverse City, Michigan.
Chicago Metro Industrial Secondary Containment and Remediation
The Chicago metropolitan area’s industrial corridor — concentrated along the Lake Michigan lakefront, the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal, and the Illinois River industrial waterway — includes petroleum refineries in Lemont and Joliet, chemical manufacturers and distributors in Will and Cook Counties, and bulk liquid terminals at the Port of Chicago. These facilities require SPCC-compliant secondary containment liner systems for aboveground storage tanks and process areas, with liner materials selected for the specific chemical profiles at each facility. IEPA NPDES permit conditions for facilities discharging to Lake Michigan tributaries add a regulatory dimension to secondary containment adequacy that drives containment upgrade investment.
Chicago’s Superfund sites — including contaminated manufacturing sites in the Calumet industrial district and legacy heavy industrial areas in southeast Chicago and northwest Indiana border communities — require remediation containment systems under IEPA and EPA oversight. PFAS remediation at Scott Air Force Base in St. Clair County and other military installations adds to the state’s liner project inventory.
Coal Ash Impoundment Closure and Agricultural Liner Systems
Downstate Illinois coal ash impoundments — at former Ameren generation facilities including Coffeen, Newton, and Duck Creek Power Stations, and former ComEd sites — are subject to EPA CCR Rule closure requirements under IEPA solid waste permits. Cap-in-place closures require composite cover systems with HDPE geomembrane barrier layers. Coal ash closure liner systems are installed with the CQA documentation required under 35 Ill. Admin. Code Part 810 (IEPA solid waste) and CCR Rule quality assurance provisions. Central and southern Illinois’s agricultural interior — one of the most productive grain farming landscapes in the world — generates agricultural drainage pond, tile outlet basin, and reservoir liner demand across dozens of counties.
Geomembrane Liner Services in Illinois
- HDPE, LLDPE, PVC, XR-5, RPP, and Dura-Skrim geomembrane liner supply and installation
- Chicago metro industrial secondary containment — SPCC and IEPA NPDES compliant
- Petroleum refinery and bulk liquid terminal containment — Lake Michigan corridor
- Coal ash impoundment closure cap systems — 35 Ill. Admin. Code Part 810 and CCR Rule compliant
- PFAS remediation containment at military installations — CQA documented
- Agricultural drainage pond and reservoir liner systems — central Illinois
- Municipal landfill liner and cap systems — IEPA solid waste compliant
- Superfund remediation containment under IEPA and EPA oversight
- Hot wedge and extrusion welding with destructive and non-destructive testing
- CQA documentation, ASTM testing, GRI standard compliance
- Custom fabrication and AutoCAD design assistance
- Liner inspection and repair for existing installations
Areas Served in Illinois
ICS serves project sites throughout Illinois including Chicago, Aurora, Rockford, Joliet, Naperville, Springfield, Peoria, Elgin, Waukegan, Champaign, Decatur, Bloomington, East St. Louis, and industrial, agricultural, and municipal sites across Cook, DuPage, Lake, Will, Kane, McHenry, Sangamon, Peoria, Tazewell, McLean, Macon, Montgomery, and other Illinois counties.
Frequently Asked Questions — Illinois Geomembrane Liner Installation
What IEPA regulations govern liner system requirements for coal ash impoundment closure in Illinois?
Illinois coal ash impoundment closures are regulated under IEPA’s solid waste program at 35 Ill. Admin. Code Part 810 as well as EPA’s federal CCR Rule requirements. IEPA solid waste closure permits specify engineering requirements for cap systems, including geomembrane barrier layer specifications and CQA documentation requirements. ICS installs geomembrane liner systems under approved CQA plans and provides documentation consistent with 35 Ill. Admin. Code Part 810 and CCR Rule quality assurance provisions for IEPA permit compliance.
What liner materials does ICS use for petroleum refinery secondary containment in the Chicago metro area?
Petroleum product secondary containment — for crude oil, refined products, and process chemicals at Chicago-area refineries — typically uses HDPE liner systems designed to the SPCC regulation’s secondary containment volume requirements. For containment areas holding petroleum products with aromatic hydrocarbon content, HDPE thickness and weld quality specifications are set to ensure long-term chemical resistance. ICS coordinates material selection and specification with the refinery’s SPCC Plan engineer and provides installation documentation consistent with SPCC Plan requirements.
Does ICS install PFAS remediation containment at military installations in Illinois?
Yes. ICS installs HDPE and LLDPE liner systems for PFAS containment at military installations in Illinois, including Scott Air Force Base in St. Clair County. These federal facility projects operate under USACE or Air Force Civil Engineer Center quality assurance requirements. ICS provides CQA documentation consistent with USACE Engineering Manual standards and the project-specific remedial action work plan requirements.
Can ICS efficiently serve both Chicago metro industrial projects and downstate agricultural liner projects in Illinois?
ICS serves Illinois projects from both its Traverse City, Michigan regional office and its Maryland headquarters, coordinating crew mobilization based on project location and scheduling. Chicago metro projects are accessible from Traverse City within approximately three hours. Downstate Illinois agricultural and coal ash closure projects are coordinated with crew availability and project scheduling. Contact ICS at 667-290-4153 to discuss logistics for your specific Illinois project.
What agricultural liner applications does ICS serve in central Illinois?
Central Illinois’s flat agricultural terrain generates liner demand for drainage pond retention basins, tile outlet control structures, irrigation reservoirs, and livestock watering ponds. LLDPE and RPP materials are commonly selected for agricultural pond applications where panel flexibility is important for conformance to excavated geometry. HDPE is used for waste storage and nutrient management pond applications. ICS works with Illinois farmers and NRCS engineers on liner selection and installation for agricultural pond projects involving EQIP cost-share funding.