PALMERTON, Pa. — A company in Carbon County will pay millions in fines after settling a lawsuit over environmental violations.
American Zinc Recycling Corp. (AZR) has settled a federal-state lawsuit citing violations of air, water, and hazardous waste environmental laws at its facility in Palmerton.
The settlement was filed in January in federal court in Scranton.
AZR has agreed to carry out an estimated $4.3 million in measures to comply with federal and state environmental laws. AZR also will pay a $3.3 million penalty.
The complaint and proposed consent decree were filed by the U.S. Justice Department, on behalf of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP).
The company reclaims zinc from industrial waste.
Higher than normal levels of lead were found in several locations in Palmerton in 2019.