CHICAGO (WOWO): The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced Tuesday that Steel Dynamics, Inc. has agreed to a settlement requiring them to upgrade their air pollution control equipment at the facilities in Butler.

Steel Dynamics agreed to pay a $475,000 penalty split between the state of Indiana and the U.S. government. The company’s upgrades will also cost $3 million, which will reduce particulate matter (PM) emissions.

The EPA says that Steel Dynamics was violating the Clean Air Act by failing to comply with its Title V permit. EPA officials found multiple violations at each plant during an inspection. This included a failure to capture all emissions from three ladle metallurgical stations and route them to a baghouse as required by the permit. That resulted in excess emissions of PM, which can cause serious health problems.

Steel Dynamics will upgrade the capture and control of emission from the ladle metallurgical stations by building and operating a new or expanded baghouse.