Mercury Marine in Settlement with EPA

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reports its Region 5 has reached an agreement with Brunswick Corp.’s Mercury Marine division on alleged clean-air violations at a secondary-aluminum plant in Fond du Lac, WI. The plant is part of an operation that produces boat motors.

As detailed by the EPA, the agreement includes a $25,000 penalty and resolves the agency’s allegations that Mercury Marine violated a May 2005 consent order requiring it to operate its melting furnace according to regulations. EPA said that Mercury Marine disclosed last summer that it had used “non-clean” charges in its furnace.

Secondary (scrap) aluminum melting may emit excess hydrocarbons, particulates, dioxins and furans if the charge material is not “clean.’