EPA v. ARCELORMITTAL WEIRTON, LLC

Case summary

On September 13, 2017, Region III entered into a Consent Agreement with, and issued a Final Order to ArcelorMittal Weirton LLC, settling violations of RCRA Subtitle C that EPA inspectors observed during an inspection of the company's facility in Weirton, WV ( Facility ). The settlement will ensure that hazardous waste will be properly contained, managed and shipped offsite in the future. ArcelorMittal Weirton, a former large-scale steel mill, is now operating a steel electroplating facility along the Ohio River. Because this manufacturing process produces several byproducts which are hazardous waste, ArcelorMittal Weirton is required to comply with the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) and the federally-authorized Virginia Hazardous Waste Management Regulations. RCRA is designed to protect human health and the environment by providing for the safe management of such hazardous wastes. Among the concerns noted during the inspection were uncontained toxic hazardous waste, such as lead, cyanide and chromium - a known carcinogen - on equipment, the facility floor, and outside the facility building. 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 (i.e., soil, groundwater). The Consent Agreement alleges that ArcelorMittal (1) operated a hazardous waste treatment, storage, and disposal facility without a permit or interim status, and stored hazardous waste beyond the 90-day permit exemption limit; (2) failed to minimize the risk of release of hazardous wastes; (3) failed to make a hazardous waste determination on aerosol cans; and (4) failed to properly label and date universal waste batteries. The Company has agreed to pay a penalty of $93,288 to settle the enforcement action. The Consent Agreement and Final Order initiate and resolve this enforcement action. EPA informed West Virginia's Department of Environmental Protection (?WVDEP?) of the action by letter on October 17, 2016, and received no objection.

Defendants (1)

• ARCELORMITTAL WEIRTON, LLCNamed in complaintNamed in settlement

Facilities (6)

• ARCELORMITTAL WEIRTON, LLC

  100 PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE, WEIRTON, WV, 26062

  Registry ID: 110057387420

• ARCELORMITTAL WEIRTON

  100 PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE, WEIRTON, WV, 26062

  Registry ID: 110057387420

• ARCELORMITTAL WEIRTON, LLC

  100 PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE, WEIRTON, WV, 26062

  Registry ID: 110057387420

• ARCELORMITTAL WEIRTON, LLC

  100 PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE, WEIRTON, WV, 26062

  Registry ID: 110057387420

• ARCELORMITTAL WEIRTON

  100 PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE, WEIRTON, WV, 26062

  Registry ID: 110057387420

• ARCELORMITTAL WEIRTON

  100 PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE, WEIRTON, WV, 26062

  Registry ID: 110057387420

Statutes cited

• RCRA 3002 — Standards Applicable to Generators of Hazardous Waste

Enforcement conclusions (1)

• ARCELORMITTAL WEIRTON, LLCentered 2017-09-13

  Primary law: RCRA

  Federal penalty: $93,288

Timeline (3 milestones)

• 2017-09-13Final Order Issued
• 2017-09-13Complaint Filed/Proposed Order
• 2017-09-15Enforcement Action Data Entered