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EPA, Steel Dynamics Reach Agreement on Clean-Air Violations
11/02/2007 - U.S. EPA Region 5 reaches an agreement with Steel Dynamics on alleged clean-air violations at the company's Butler facility.
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As part of its agreement with the EPA, Steel Dynamics will install technology that will help to reduce excess emissions from the plant, and to respond more quickly to such emissions when they do occur.
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The agreement resolves EPA allegations that Steel Dynamics' emissions violated the opacity* limits of the Clean Air Act between 2003 and 2006. In addition, EPA said the company failed to properly report exceedances and to use good air pollution control practices to minimize its emissions.
Steel Dynamics’ obligations under its agreement with the EPA include a $13,540 penalty and a $263,000 environmental project.
For its environmental project, Steel Dynamics will install a bag leak detection system that monitors each compartment of the plant's existing baghouse. The baghouse controls opacity emissions from the facility’s electric arc furnaces. The new system will reduce the periods of excess emissions and decrease the time it takes to identify and address the cause of the emissions.
In a related action, Steel Dynamics also agreed to implement a compliance plan to improve its ability to prevent and respond to releases from the baghouse that controls its electric arc furnaces.
*Opacity is defined as the amount of light obscured by particulate matter. Inhaling high concentrations of particulates can affect children, the elderly and people with heart and lung diseases the most.
