(a) On and after October 1, 1999, a fee is imposed on the generation of liquid waste that is generated within the corporate limits of the city. The liquid waste generator, as defined herein, shall submit the fees directly to the department.
(b) For purposes of this section, the term "liquid waste" means any discarded or abandoned material which maintains the physical state of continuous volume relatively independent of pressure and which takes the shape of its container at ambient temperature.
(c) For purposes of this section, the term "liquid waste generator" means any natural individual, person, corporation, partnership, trust, association, limited liability company, joint venture, foundation or other legal entity that generates liquid waste and meets one or both of the following criteria:
(1) the liquid waste is designated pursuant to Section 5/3.45 of the Illinois Environmental Protection Act as "special waste", and is containerized and transported off-site;
(2) the liquid waste has the potential to adversely impact the public health, safety or welfare of the citizens of Chicago as determined by the commissioner pursuant to Section 2-30-030 of this Code.
(d) The fee imposed on each liquid waste generator for the generation of liquid waste as defined in Section 11-4-140(c)(1) and (c)(2) shall be $0.025 per gallon generated for generation equivalent to 360 gallons or more per reporting period.
(e) Each liquid waste generator shall submit periodic reporting statements to the department, on forms supplied by the department, certifying the quantities of liquid waste generated during the reporting period. The reporting period shall be January 1 – December 31. Such reports, together with the fee attributable to the liquid waste generated during the reporting period, shall be submitted within 30 days of the last day of the reporting period.
(f) Every liquid waste generator shall be subject to periodic audits by the department to assess compliance with the requirements of this section. The department shall have the authority and the right to corroborate quantities of liquid waste reported to the department with quantities reported to the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency.
(g) Any person who violates any provision of this section shall be fined not less than $500.00 and not more than $1,000.00 for each offense.
(h) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, generators of liquid waste who are governmental bodies are exempt from the fees and reporting requirements imposed by this section.
(i) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, any facility that is issued a permit to operate as a liquid waste handing facility pursuant to Section 11-4-1525 of this Code is exempt from the fees and reporting requirements imposed by this section.
(Prior code § 17-1.12.1; Added Coun. J. 12-18-86, p. 38637; Amend Coun. J. 9-1-99, p. 10082, § 2; Amend Coun. J. 7-19-00, p. 38286, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 11-16-11, p. 13798, Art. II, § 6)