COLUMBUS, Ohio (Legal Newsline)—Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine announced that his office and the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency have requested and received a temporary restraining order against Warren Steel, which recently shut down while allegedly leaving hazardous chemicals and wastewater onsite.
A court order now forces Warren Steel to continue operating its plant while properly secure its hazardous materials.
“Our primary concern is public safety,” DeWine said. “We don’t want industrial wastewater from this facility to overflow into the Mahoning River, or dangerous chemicals left at the site to cause a fire or explosion or jeopardize the health of children or adults.”
Warren Holdings LLC owns and operates a steel production facility in Warren, and it permanently closed the facility on Jan. 14. The hazardous waste on site, according to the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, could cause untreated water to overflow from the plant into the Mahoning River.
“We are holding Warren Steel accountable to ensure that nothing is left at the site that could pose a threat to public health or the environment,” Ohio EPA Director Craig W. Butler said. “We won’t let them walk away from their obligations here in Ohio.”