A. Finkl & Sons, a steelmaker whose roots in Chicago date to the late 1800s, has agreed to add pollution controls and pay the state of Illinois $125,000 to settle accusations that the company broke environmental laws by releasing excessive amounts of a harmful gas.
In settling, Finkl, now owned by Swiss Steel, didn’t admit any wrongdoing.
It was accused of not controlling the amount of nitrogen oxide emissions from its Far Southeast Side plant at 1355 E. 93rd St. between late 2021 and early 2022. Attorney General Kwame Raoul’s office said Finkl failed to operate and maintain equipment, causing an increase in nitrogen oxides.
The operation has until June 2027 to install a new emissions-monitoring system, according to Raoul.
After more than 130 years in Lincoln Park, operating along the Chicago River, Finkl sold its North Side property in 2016 to real estate company Sterling Bay to help make way for what was planned to be a sprawling, multibillion-dollar development. That project, known as Lincoln Yards, never came to fruition, though.
Finkl has been operating in Burnside, the city’s smallest community, since moving from Lincoln Park.
A company representative didn’t respond to a request for comment.
The company makes custom-shaped steel products. The operation includes melting recycled steel scrap metal, according to Raoul.
In 2023, Finkl withdrew a plan to add more furnaces to its South Side operation after community members protested, citing concerns about air quality. Finkl didn’t give a reason for withdrawing its plan.
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