News Releases from Region 03
ArcelorMittal Weirton LLC Resolves Hazardous Waste Violations at Weirton, W. Va. Facility
PHILADELPHIA (Sept. 26, 2017) -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced today a settlement with ArcelorMittal Weirton LLC, under which the company has corrected alleged violations of hazardous waste regulations at its manufacturing facility along the Ohio River in Weirton, West Virginia, and has certified the facility’s compliance with federal hazardous waste laws.
EPA cited ArcelorMittal for violating the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), the federal law governing the treatment, storage, and disposal of hazardous waste. RCRA is designed to protect public health and the environment, and avoid long and extensive cleanups, by requiring the safe, environmentally sound storage and disposal of hazardous waste.
Among the concerns noted during an EPA inspection of the electroplating facility were uncontained toxic hazardous waste, such as lead, cyanide and chromium -- a known carcinogen -- on equipment, the facility floor, and outside the building.
The settlement reflects the company’s compliance efforts and its cooperation with EPA’s investigation. As part of the settlement, ArcelorMittal Weirton LLC has not admitted liability. Under the settlement, ArcelorMittal Weirton LLC will pay a $93,288 penalty.
By failing to properly manage hazardous waste, there is the potential for employees to be exposed to hazardous constituents or result in the release of hazardous constituents into the environment via soil or groundwater. The inspection did not identify any releases into the environment.
EPA cited ArcelorMittal Weirton LLC for violations including:
* Failure to ship a variety of hazardous wastes off-site in a timely manner;
* Failure to minimize the risk of release of hazardous waste;
* Failure to make a hazardous waste determination; and
* Failure to properly label and date spent batteries.
For more information about hazardous waste and RCRA, visit http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/hazard/index.htm
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