YOUNGSTOWN City Concrete and OEPA settle air pollution issues

The company converted its plant instead of paying most of the fine.
THE VINDICATOR
YOUNGSTOWN -- City Concrete and the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency have reached a settlement on air pollution control violations.
The violations concern the company's plant on Division Street and portable concrete plant on Mahoning Avenue in North Jackson.
The civil penalty is $58,800.
The company agreed to pay $10,125 that will be divided between the Ohio Environmental Education Fund and administering pollution control programs, OEPA said. The company also will do testing to comply with emission requirements.
City Concrete also agreed to convert its plant instead of having to pay the remainder of the fine, OEPA said.
The Division Street operation has been converted to mixing material inside the plant. The material then is loaded wet into delivery trucks.
Pollution reduction
Reducing trucks from operating at high throttle from 10 minutes to 40 seconds to mix the material will eliminate 11 tons of air contaminants a year, OEPA said.
The company also will pave two road sections to minimize dust.
OEPA inspectors observed excessive dust during a tour of a neighboring facility in June 1999.
OEPA sent violation notices and a warning letter between September 1999 and September 2001 for failure to obtain the right permits. The company also was cited for violations of visible particles for its unpaved roads and truck loading operation.
The company has corrected the violations with the conversion project and by obtaining the right permits, OEPA said.