GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — The corporate owner of a former Berlin foundry pleaded guilty to violating the Clean Air Act and agreed to pay a $200,000 fine, the maximum allowed under federal law.
According to the U.S. Justice Department, plant managers at Grede in 2012 ordered employees to remove insulation that contained asbestos without providing proper safety equipment. A federal grand jury indicted Grede and three current and former executives last March.
Those workers reportedly didn’t know they were handling asbestos, which can cause a number of lung diseases and an increased risk of cancer.
The foundry closed in 2015.
Under a plea agreement, the corporation acknowledged criminal negligence and agreed to provide the eleven workers more than $340,000 for future medical costs to monitor them for mesothelioma and other lung conditions.
