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Illinois Firm Employees Plead Guilty to Water Law Violations

Jan. 20, 2000

Three employees admitted that they installed a secret discharge pipe at a smelter that released pollutants into a tributary of the Mississippi River.

EHS Today Staff

Three employees of Industrial Fabrication and Repair Inc., pleaded guilty earlier this month to charges of conspiracy and violating the Clean Water Act.

George Boud Jr., of East Alton, Ill., Kevin A. Youngman of Highland, Ill., and Bruce W. Hendrickson, of Granite City, Ill., worked for Industrial Fabrication, a company that was privately owned by Ira S. Campbell.

Campbell was also the supervisor of maintenance at a copper smelter owned by Chemetco Inc., Hartford, Ill.

In 1986, Campbell directed the three men to install a secret discharge pipe at Chemetco's smelter.

From September 1986 through September 1996, the pipe was used to discharge pollutants, such as zinc, lead and cadmium into Long Lake, a tributary of the Mississippi River.

Lead, zinc and cadmium can be harmful to fish and aquatic life and can make water unfit for consumption by humans, birds or wildlife if taken in sufficient quantities.

When sentenced, each defendant faces a maximum sentence of up to eight years in prison and/or a fine of up to $500,000.

About the Author

EHS Today Staff

EHS Today's editorial staff includes:

Dave Blanchard, Editor-in-Chief: During his career Dave has led the editorial management of many of Endeavor Business Media's best-known brands, including IndustryWeek, EHS Today, Material Handling & Logistics, Logistics Today, Supply Chain Technology News, and Business Finance. In addition, he serves as senior content director of the annual Safety Leadership Conference. With over 30 years of B2B media experience, Dave literally wrote the book on supply chain management, Supply Chain Management Best Practices (John Wiley & Sons, 2021), which has been translated into several languages and is currently in its third edition. He is a frequent speaker and moderator at major trade shows and conferences, and has won numerous awards for writing and editing. He is a voting member of the jury of the Logistics Hall of Fame, and is a graduate of Northern Illinois University.

Adrienne Selko, Senior Editor: In addition to her roles with EHS Today and the Safety Leadership Conference, Adrienne is also a senior editor at IndustryWeek and has written about many topics, with her current focus on workforce development strategies. She is also a senior editor at Material Handling & Logistics. Previously she was in corporate communications at a medical manufacturing company as well as a large regional bank. She is the author of Do I Have to Wear Garlic Around My Neck?, which made the Cleveland Plain Dealer's best sellers list.

Nicole Stempak, Managing Editor: Nicole Stempak is managing editor of EHS Today and conference content manager of the Safety Leadership Conference.