Iowa authorities have ordered the closure of an asphalt shingle recycling company and cleanup and stabilization efforts at its Marengo plant after an explosion last week injured about half of its workers and forced nearby evacuations.
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources issued an emergency order to C6-Zero on Friday, requiring the company to immediately stabilize hazardous conditions at the plant, remove all solid waste on site and clean up contaminated soil and water. The order also warns that the state could levy tens of thousands of dollars in fines every day until the cleanup is complete.
The explosion and fire on December 8 left more than a dozen people hospitalized with injuries. Two workers injured in the explosion remained in the burn unit on Friday.
The order describes the agency’s 19-month, unsuccessful effort before the explosion to obtain information from C6-Zero and its owner, Howard Brand, about the plant’s recycling operations, which recycle used asphalt shingles into biofuel. The agency said it was unable to obtain a list of the chemicals used in the process and that the plant and its operators have repeatedly blocked state agencies from fully inspecting the facility.
The plant’s operators also repeatedly explained to state authorities that it was not a recycling facility but a “reprocessing facility” and was therefore exempt from Iowa’s solid waste, recycling and air quality licensing regulations.
“Despite repeated requests for information from the DNR and meetings discussing compliance issues, C6-Zero and Mr. Howard Brand have failed to comply with Iowa’s air quality, hazardous situations, solid waste and legitimate recycling laws,” the order states. “The facility is not legitimately recycling materials and must cease operations.”
Neither the company nor Brand immediately responded to emailed questions Friday about the department’s allegations that C6-Zero has not cooperated with the state’s attempts to get the company to comply with its information requests.
After the explosion, inspectors discovered large areas of contaminated soil that threaten Iowa’s groundwater, as well as large pools of contaminated water flowing into or toward the Iowa River, according to the order.
“The current condition of the facility poses a clear threat to public health and the environment,” the order states. “Another catastrophic event is possible as unknown flammable chemicals and gases remain inside the damaged building and are exposed to the elements.”
