Intalco Aluminum fined $5.25 million for releasing hazardous pollutants into the air
Intalco Aluminum LLC has reached an agreement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Justice (DOJ). The company, which is a subsidiary of Alcoa Corporation, will pay a $5.25 million penalty to resolve allegations that it violated the Clean Air Act’s National Emissions Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants.
According to the EPA, Intalco Aluminum failed to maintain and operate air pollution control systems at various times from 2017 to 2020. This led to the company exceeding emission limits, causing particulate matter and hazardous air pollutants to be released. These emissions included carbonyl sulfide, hydrogen fluoride, polycyclic organic matter, metals, and mercury.
During that same time period, the agency determined that Intalco Aluminum was not meeting monitoring requirements, had failed to comply with work practice standards, and was not keeping proper records.
What people are saying
In a recent quote, EPA Region 10 Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Director Ed Kowalski said, “While most of us breathe some level of air pollution, some communities have been exposed for decades to pollutants in the air, the water, and on land. EPA has prioritized the protection of these communities from facilities that violate laws meant to protect people from industrial pollution. While the Intalco facility is not currently operating, any new operation there should be aware that EPA will do everything it can to enforce environmental and public health laws to protect nearby Ferndale residents.”
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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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