MDEQ Approves Permit for Polar Environmental in Ferndale

The Air Quality Division has responded to public comments and questions in a document now available online.

The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality recently approved the proposed permit to install for Polar Environmental Service Corp. Polar, which is located at 707 E. Lewiston in Ferndale, handles the disposal and recycling of nonhazardous waste oil and wastewater. The MDEQ began taking a closer look at the facility and required it to apply for a permit after a Dec. 2, 2011 steam release that concerned hundreds of area residents. In late September, about 25 people from Ferndale and Pleasant Ridge attended an MDEQ hearing on the permit, where residents and city leaders expressed comments and concerns about the facility and proposed permit. Residents had concerns over strong odors coming from Polar, and Ferndale Fire Chief Kevin Sullivan …

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Ferndale, Pleasant Ridge Residents Speak Out at Polar Public Hearing

The MDEQ has extended the public comment period for an additional week for the proposed Polar Environmental permit.

The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality will continue to take public comments through Oct. 5 as it considers a permit for Polar Environmental Service Corp. Polar, which is located at 707 E. Lewiston in Ferndale, handles the disposal and recycling of nonhazardous waste oil and wastewater. The MDEQ began taking a closer look at the facility and required it to apply for a permit after a Dec. 2, 2011 steam release that concerned hundreds of area residents. About 25 people were in attendance on Friday evening when the MDEQ held a public hearing on the permit. The hearing, held at Ferndale High School, gave residents a chance to ask questions of MDEQ representatives - including the inspector assigned to Polar - and have their comments …

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MDEQ Seeks Public Comment on Polar Environmental Permit

There's still time to submit public comments online or in the mail in advance of a public hearing Sept. 27 to discuss a proposed permit for the Ferndale facility.

MDEQ Seeks Public Comment on Polar Environmental Permit

A public hearing has been scheduled for Sept. 27 at Ferndale High School to discuss a proposed permit for the facility.

The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality is seeking public comments as the permit process for Polar Environmental Service Corp. moves forward. Polar, which is located at 707 E. Lewiston in Ferndale, handles the disposal and recycling of nonhazardous waste oil and wastewater. The MDEQ began taking a closer look at the facility and required it to apply for a permit after a Dec. 2, 2011 steam release that concerned hundreds of area residents. Polar is seeking a permit for the proposed operation of a treatment, storage, and disposal facility for waste oils, water, and coolants that are not hazardous waste. As part of the permit process, the MDEQ has opened a public comment period from Aug. 24 through Sept. 27 and scheduled a public …

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Polar Environmental Report: Steam Release Incident 'Not a Threat'

Ferndale company releases a report outlining results of an investigation into the smelly Dec. 2 incident and says new actions have been taken to prevent further problems.

The Dec. 2 steam release that concerned hundreds of area residents was “not a threat to the health of the public” and should not happen again with new safeguards put in place, according to a recently released report from Polar Environmental Service Corp. in Ferndale. The report, prepared by environmental safety consulting firm Hands and Associates, outlines results from an investigation into the incident and highlights corrective actions the company has taken to ensure it doesn't happen again. "I'm continuing to seek out ways to improve our performance," said Robert Crawford, president of Polar Environmental. "I take what we do very seriously over here." The incident occurred after an employee at the facility, which handles the disposal …

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DEQ Cannot Verify Contents of Odor from Polar Environmental Steam Release

"It's very difficult to say exactly what people were exposed to," the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality environmental manager said.

The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality can’t say whether the odor residents complained of from Polar Environmental Service Corp. on Dec. 2 was harmful, but the Ferndale-based company will soon have limits placed on its emissions, a state DEQ representative said. The state environmental agency received a permit application from Polar last week and will begin reviewing it this week, according to Chris Ethridge, environmental manager with the DEQ's air quality division. Polar Environmental came under the microscope last month following a Dec. 2 waste oil steam release that concerned hundreds of area residents. The incident occurred after an employee at the facility, which handles the disposal and recycling of nonhazardous waste oil …

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What's That Smell in Royal Oak? It's Not Gas, Utility Says

Consumers Energy received hundreds of calls reporting a natural gas odor Friday night.

Consumers Energy received more than 400 calls Friday night from people in Ferndale, Pleasant Ridge and Royal Oak complaining of an odor in the air similar to natural gas. Spokeswoman Debra Dodd said the utility company believed the odor was coming from Polar Environmental Service Corp. located at 707 W. Lewiston near Nine Mile Road and Woodward Avenue in Ferndale. According to the company’s website, Polar "offers complete disposal and recycling of non-hazardous waste oil and wastewater at its Ferndale facility." An answering service for Polar said the company began receiving calls at 7:45 p.m. and that plant managers met with representatives from Consumers Energy and corrected the problem at 8:45 p.m. The answering service did not have …

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