SAUGET, Ill. — The Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raul's office alleges a Sauget facility's dangerous chemical storage conditions pose a danger to residents' health, welfare and environment.
The allegations were made in a Friday morning written release announcing a lawsuit filed by the Attorney General's office against the facility's owner, JET Enterprises & Holding Company LLC (JET).
Filed in the St. Clair County Circuit Court, the lawsuit alleges negligence at the facility that also failed to minimize the chances of hazardous waste being released into the environment. He's asked the court to force the company to immediately stop the dangerous practice.
“Illinois law is clear – companies that own and operate industrial facilities have a legal obligation to properly store dangerous chemicals and safely dispose of waste,” Raoul said. “The lawsuit against JET is an important step toward accountability. I am also seeking an order against JET to ensure its facility no longer poses a threat to the environment and the health of the residents nearby.”
The facility, located in an environmental justice area, opened as a zinc refining facility in 1929, the statement said. A cadmium plant, a melt and casting plant and cooling towers were all constructed on the site. It remained a zinc refining facility under various owners until 2005.
According to the Attorney General's Office, the lawsuit is meant to force JET to immediately hire a qualified environmental consultant to prepare a plan to investigate the extent of the contamination on the site and complete any necessary work with oversight from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency.
The lawsuit was based on a referral from the Illinois EPA.
“Illinois EPA referred this matter to the Attorney General’s Office to ensure no additional work would be conducted at the site that could negatively impact the environment and nearby properties,” said Illinois EPA Director John J. Kim. “Through an injunction, the company will have to obtain Illinois EPA approval before proceeding with remediation efforts and will ultimately be required to address any contamination caused by construction activities.”
