County warns of limited pollution from U.S. Steel Clairton breakdown
Steel News | 2026-01-30 06:37:05
The department said it sent inspectors and requested more info from U.S. Steel, which is required to submit a report within the week.
By Paul Ploumis
SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): Pollution controls were temporarily disabled at U.S. Steel’s Clairton Coke Works, releasing excess coke oven gas for about 24 hours beginning on Tuesday evening, according to the Allegheny County Health Department.
The equipment came back online Wednesday evening. That morning, the county observed an increase in pollutants, including hydrogen sulfide, although not enough to exceed air quality standards.
Hydrogen sulfide is a colorless gas that smells like rotten eggs. Concentrations peaked at 0.019 ppm per hour, below the level deemed hazardous for public health, the Health Department said.
The department said it sent inspectors and requested more info from U.S. Steel, which is required to submit a report within the week.
“Currently, there is no indication of a long-term health emergency; however, ACHD will continue to closely monitor air quality in and around Liberty, Clairton, and North Braddock,” the Health Department said.
U.S. Steel said the equipment failed because of a “process upset” that caused a control room to shut off pollution controls to protect compressors that are part of the process to turn coal into coke, a key ingredient in steelmaking. A second control room was also impacted.
U.S. Steel employees “immediately responded” to the breakdown, the company said. Nobody was injured.
“Environmental compliance and safety remain our top priorities,” U.S. Steel said.
Clairton Coke Works was the site of a fatal explosion in August. One set of ovens is already back online and the other is hot idled undergoing repairs.
Courtesy: www.post-gazette.com
POLL
Should regulators impose stricter oversight on industrial pollution control systems after repeated incidents?
Frequently Asked Questions
- What caused the pollution controls to be disabled?
A process upset forced control systems to shut down to protect critical compressors involved in coke production, U.S. Steel said.
- How long did the gas release last?
The excess coke oven gas release lasted approximately 24 hours, beginning Tuesday evening.
- Were pollutant levels dangerous?
No. Hydrogen sulfide peaked at 0.019 ppm per hour, which is below hazardous public health limits.
