U.S. EPA, Stroh Die Casting Agree on Settlement

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Milwaukee's Stroh Die Casting Inc. have reached an agreement to address alleged clean-air violations at the company's secondary aluminum plant.

According to EPA, the settlement includes a penalty of $20,000, and resolves EPA's allegations that Stroh failed to do performance testing on its melting furnaces, and failed to comply with notification, planning, reporting, and operating requirements.

The furnaces are used to melt aluminum scrap, including coated aluminum returned by customers. EPA regulations require secondary aluminum operations to test for dioxin and furan emissions — both of which are hazardous air pollutants. Research supports the claim that dioxins may cause liver damage, and dioxins and furans may cause cancer in humans.