Another chemical spill occurred at the same factory as US Steel, a leading American steel company, was responsible for leaking toxic heavy metals above the standard level into Lake Michigan about four years ago and was to pay a large fine.

According to local media and the Associated Press on the 27th (local time), a large amount of an unidentified orange liquid flowed out of the US Steel Midwest Factory in Portage, Indiana at the southern end of Lake Michigan the previous afternoon and spread along the waterway to Lake Michigan.

Portage Mayor Sue Lynch said, "Reports from residents started at 5:50 pm. The composition of the leaked material has not been confirmed yet.

US Steel estimated that a problem with the wastewater treatment facility may have resulted in unpurified wastewater being discharged.

"We have reported to all relevant authorities, including the Federal Environment Agency (EPA), the Federal Coast Guard (USCG), and the Indiana State Department of Environmental Management," he said.

The plant is located about 50 kilometers southeast of Chicago along Lake Michigan, adjacent to Dunes National Park in Indiana. Lake Michigan, the second largest of the Great Lakes, accounting for 20% of the world's freshwater supply, is the source of drinking water for 7 million residents, including Chicago, the third largest city in the United States.

The Indiana Dunes National Park Administration said, "In case of emergency, we have closed the Michigan beach and trails near US Steel."

Indiana American Water (IAW), a water supplier, also said, "As a precaution, we are closing a water treatment facility near the plant and conducting a real-time water quality test."

In 2017, US Steel was humiliated after it was revealed late that it had leaked more than 300 pounds (about 136 kg) of carcinogenic chemicals (hexavalent chromium) into Lake Michigan, 584 times the daily maximum, and attempted to cover it up. ABC broadcast reported.

In this regard, US Steel was fined more than $600,000 (about KRW 700 million) from the federal and state governments and compensated the Federal Environment Agency and the National Park Service for cleaning costs and damages of $625,000 (about KRW 740 million). agreed to, and a federal court recently approved it.

In addition, US Steel has pledged to take practical measures to improve the wastewater treatment system at the plant and to minimize the risk of similar accidents by complying with the Federal Water Protection Act and Indiana-related laws.

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