EPA ANNOUNCES GENERAL IRON MUST INSTALL POLLUTION CONTROL EQUIPMENT

The U.S. EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) announced on August 26, 2019 that General Iron is required to install additional air pollution controls. This announcement came in the form of an Administrative Consent Order (ACO) in light of a Notice of Violation (NOV) issued back in July of 2018. The NOV was for excessive air emissions, and the ACO issued will bring General Iron back into compliance with the Clean Air Act.

General Iron is a scrap metal recycler and shredder located at 1909 N Clifton Ave. in Chicago, IL. The company was founded by Rose Rosenmutter in the early 1900s on Chicago’s north side. General Iron provides well over 100 jobs to the local population, and has thousands of suppliers from the Chicago Area, according to its website.

The order specifies exactly what General Iron must do to get back into compliance:

“EPA’s Order requires General Iron to operate a pollution control device called a regenerative thermal oxidizer (RTO) to control volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions from the shredder. VOCs include a variety of chemicals, some of which may have harmful health effects. The company is also installing a wet scrubber and new emission stack. The RTO breaks down VOCs and other pollutants into carbon dioxide and water by heating them to very high temperatures. General Iron must ensure through testing that VOC emissions from its shredder are reduced by at least 98% from current levels. The company must also apply for a permit with the state detailing equipment operating conditions to ensure this continued high level of emissions reductions. General Iron is required to start operating the RTO within 60 days.” – via epa.gov.

The EPA also noted that General Iron may still face a fine even if it does install the new RTO(s) within the allotted 60 days.