Interco Trading Company, a company linked to the Fredericktown battery processing plant that recently experienced a fire, has a history of EPA violations. The fire at Interco in Madison, Illinois in 2022 caught the attention of J.D. Dixson, an environmental justice advocate and founder of Empire 13. Dixson expressed concerns about the impact of environmental crises on minority communities, with 72% of people living within a mile of Interco being minorities. He highlighted issues such as higher rates of asthma and cancer, as well as the impact on water systems and agriculture.
Following the fire in 2022, Interco faced a dozen EPA violations, which came just two years after a previous fire resulted in two violations. Some of the violations were related to “preparedness and prevention,” while others were for violations of federal or state statutes. Despite these violations, a search of an EPA database did not show any citations or enforcement actions.
The attorney for the company, Al Watkins, attributed the past violations to the fires and stated that they were not indicative of how the company operates. He emphasized that the fires were the cause of the violations and not the company itself. Watkins also clarified that Interco in Illinois shares the same president as Critical Mineral Recovery (CMR), the recycling center in Missouri that recently caught fire, but they are separate entities.
Watkins praised CMR for its efforts to work with the EPA and other agencies, positioning the company as an example for others to follow. He highlighted that CMR was one of the largest lithium-ion battery recycling facilities globally and had invested significantly in safety measures. Watkins credited these safety features with potentially saving lives during the recent fire at the CMR facility.
In response to the recent incident, CMR has established a community information hotline for residents to access information and resources. By calling 314-576-9134, individuals can receive updates and guidance regarding the situation. Watkins emphasized the importance of transparency and communication in ensuring that the community is informed and supported during this time.
