EAST HELENA — MTN has reported on the impacts of the former Asarco smelter site in East Helena. That coverage led some people to reach out with questions about whether American Chemet operations had environmental or health impacts.
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First, despite the slag pile and American Chemet’s building sitting right next to each other, they’re not related operations or companies.
American Chemet has been in the East Helena community since 1947, manufacturing copper-based chemicals used in everyday items like paint and wood treatments.
According to Tom Bischoff, the American Chemet director of safety, quality assurance, & global regulatory affairs, “The East Helena facility manufactures regulated chemicals labeled to EPA, OSHA, and DOT requirements to support safe handling through training, procedures, PPE, and exposure monitoring”.
Bischoff added, “We operate collection systems that prevent emissions, and our process produces no waste streams, reflecting our commitment to neighbors and the environment.”
American Chemet is certified under ISO 14001, the international standard for environmental stewardship. They are also certified under ISO 9001 for product quality management.
The Montana Department of Environmental Quality said that American Chemet does not need a permit or an order through DEQ’s hazardous waste program, as it is registered as a “very small quantity generator.”
They also say the East Helena facility is covered under a DEQ industrial stormwater general permit, which is a single set of statewide requirements that applies to many similar facilities.
Under this permit, the company must plan, maintain, and monitor controls so that stormwater does not carry metals or nutrients off the property at levels that could harm water quality or public health.
DEQ also noted that the site has a designated discharge point. Stormwater is routed to an on‑site infiltration and detention system, and the facility has not reported any actual discharges from that point since coverage began in 2009.
Additionally, American Chemet currently holds two air quality permits that primarily regulate the facility’s use of gas-fired and electric furnaces, mills, and blenders to produce copper and zinc oxides.
Similar to the Asarco site, American Chemet does play a big part in East Helena’s economy, employing about 150 people full-time.
