Chemetco
Chemetco
Former type
Private
Fate
Bankruptcy
Founded
Illinois, United States June 9,
1969 (1969-06-09)
Defunct
November 13,
2001 (2001-11-13)
Headquarters
Illinois, United States
Number of
locations
One
Key people
Denis L. Feron former Owner and
CEO
Industry
Recycling
Products
Copper
Revenue
US$500,000,000 (1999)
Chemetco was formerly one of the largest
United States refiners of copper from re-
cycled or residual sources.
US federal government aerial photo, 1998.
Chemetco’s illegal waste can be seen as a
silvery boomerang-shaped curve underneath
the truck parking lot. This is where the
secret pipe emerged.
Its maximum output of 120,000 tons per
year was approximately half of the entire
U.S. copper output from so-called "secondary
copper refining." The company website de-
scribed Chemetco as one of the world’s
largest copper refiners[1] and reported an es-
timated revenue in 1999 of $500 m.[1] It was
listed in 2000 as the 23rd-largest privately-
held company in the United States.[1]
The company had a history of environ-
mental problems over its entire career,[2]
along with problems managing its wastes and
by-products.[2] Eventually, it was convicted of
water pollution offences spanning a decade,
which contravened US federal law.[3]
History
The company originated on June 9, 1969 as
an Illinois corporation, Chemico Metals
Corporation.[4] On 23 March 1970, it be-
came a Delaware corporation. In 1973, the
company changed its name to Chemetco.[4]
By 1980, it employed around 200 staff.[4] By
2000, Chemetco was a member of the St
Louis Minority Business Council.[1]
On November 13, 2001, the company filed
for Chapter 7 bankruptcy (liquidation)[5] fol-
lowing conviction in a U.S. federal court and
a fine of $3.86 million.[6][7][8][9] Chemetco
and former CEO, Denis L. Feron were
charged[10][11] on four felony counts: Con-
spiracy to violate the Clean Water Act, viola-
tion of the Clean Water Act, and two counts
of making false statements.The plant, which
closed on Nov 1, 2001, was promptly sealed
by the Environment