Company Accused Of Violating Air Pollution Rules

[dateline] -- Columbus Steel Castings on Parsons Avenue faces 19 charges for violating air pollution rules just as USA Today ranked two nearby schools –- Reeb Elementary and Buckeye Middle schools -- as being among those with the highest levels of toxic chemicals in the air.

The Ohio Attorney General's complaint filed in June 2008 in Franklin County’s environmental court alleges that Columbus Steel Castings' actions "created a substantial threat of harm to human health and to the environment."

It accuses the company of violating a wide range of air pollution control laws, including:

• failing to adequately capture and control emissions from its sources of fugitive dust and hazardous air pollutants,
• failing to properly employ, operate and maintain air pollution control equipment
• failing to apply for proper permits
• failing to complete and maintain appropriate records
• and and failing to sumbit complete and accurate reports to the ohio environmental protection agency.

NBC 4's Patrick Preston spoke with company representative Craig Holman, who would only say that Columbus Steel Castings President Joe Harden was aware of our requests to talk with him. However, Harden did not return our calls.

In 1996, the attorney general's office reached a consent agreement with the company, then known as Buckeye Steel Castings, in which the company agreed to take steps to reduce air contaminant emissions.

The current complaint against the company is still working its way through the legal system.

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