Recent Developments

Largest US Zinc Producer Faces Lawsuit over River Pollution
January 8, 2009

Horsehead Holding Corp. - the largest producer of zinc in the United States - is being sued by a local environmental group for polluting the Ohio River with excessive amounts of selenium and other pollutants.

The environmental group, Clean Water Action of Pittsburgh, filed the federal lawsuit in late December. Clean Water Action claims that Horsehead, based in Monaca, Pa., has "failed to comply with their water pollution permit for many years now," and cites more than 135 violations of the Clean Water Act, including the discharge illegal amounts of selenium, zinc, lead and chlorine into the Ohio River. Each violation is subject to civil penalties of $32,500.

The pollutants are associated with a range of ill effects, including nausea, vomiting, dizziness and upper respiratory problems, according to the lawsuit. The group said it decided to sue after the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection failed to take enforcement action.

The Pennsylvania DEP has recorded water pollution violations by Horsehead, but said it is currently in talks with company officials about the need to increase wastewater treatment, according to news reports. The DEP fined the company $110,000 in 2006 for air pollution violations.