S & W Atlas Iron & Metal reaches agreement with EPA over violation of Clean Water Act
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and S & W Atlas Iron & Metal Co. Inc. have reached a settlement over claims that the company violated the Clean Water Act. The agency alleges that S &W Atlas Iron & Metal exceeded the limits for levels of iron, zinc, and copper in its discharge at its facility in Los Angeles, California. The company is also accused of discharging stormwater through unauthorized breaches in a perimeter wall onto Jordan High School property. To fulfill their end of the agreement, S & W Atlas Iron & Metal must take steps to upgrade their treatment system to prevent stormwater pollutants from discharging into nearby grounds and creeks. These steps include implementing a Stormwater Containment Plan, operating and maintaining the stormwater treatment system and stormwater/oil separator, and training workers on its Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP).
In a recent quote, EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator Martha Guzman said, “Tackling the harmful pollution carried in stormwater is a vital part of the Clean Water Act. This order requires Atlas to improve their stormwater treatment and eliminate any water pollutant discharge from leaving the site and reaching Jordan High School. EPA is committed to protecting human health and the environment by reducing exposure to lead and heavy metals, especially for children and communities with environmental justice concerns.”
About the Author
Alexis GajewskiAlexis Gajewski
Senior Content Strategist
Alexis Gajewski is a manufacturing writer and editor with nearly 20 years of experience covering the people, practices, and technologies that keep industrial facilities running. For more than a decade, she served as Senior Content Strategist for Plant Services, creating content for plant managers, engineers, and maintenance professionals on a variety of industrial topics.
During her tenure, Alexis worked to develop the brand’s digital strategy and helped launch and produce Great Question: A Manufacturing Podcast. She also created The Lighter Side of Manufacturing, a weekly blog that explored the inventive and sometimes humorous side of the industry.
Alexis co-founded Influential Women in Manufacturing, a recognition program that honored 49 women in its first two years, earned an industry award for Best Product Launch, and received a proclamation from Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and a commendation from U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth.
She also led newsroom operations and development at a large media company where she set editorial standards, developed training curriculum, and helped support AI adoption for more than 150 editors across 80+ brands spanning manufacturing, industrial processing, automation, and more.
Additionally, Alexis works as a freelance writer and editor, and her areas of interest include continuous improvement, the skilled workforce, and the role of emerging technology on the plant floor.
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