EPA fines Burns Harbor slag processor $190k for Clean Air Act violations
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said last week it will fine a Burns Harbor steel mill slag processor $190,000 in a settlement for federal Clean Air Act violations.
Agency documents show Phoenix Global – an on-site contractor for Cleveland-Cliffs Burns Harbor – violated its opacity limits and permits between 2021 and 2023, according to a consent agreement filed in February.
The EPA announced the settlement in a release April 23. The agency based its findings on 'observations' from 2020 to 2023.
Ted Barry, Chief Administrative Officer and General Counsel for Phoenix Global, based in Radnor, Pennsylvania, declined comment.
As part of the settlement, the company is required to set up new equipment to help prevent dust kick-off from the processing plant, slag pits and storage.
Slag is a waste byproduct of steel making. It commonly has toxic compounds, like manganese, chromium, lead, and arsenic, according to the EPA's release.
The EPA fined Cleveland-Cliffs Burns Harbor $248,000 in August for Clean Air Act violations, dating back to when ArcelorMittal owned the mill. The settlement also required Cleveland-Cliffs to implement pollution controls.
The EPA's website shows 52,000 people live within five miles of the steel mill.
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