In 2006, the EPA returned to Rockdale and fined the company again for failing to follow through on the consent decree. Two years later, Alcoa closed Rockdale. In 1999, Alcoa first warned its employees that they may have a higher risk of getting lung or bladder cancer from carcinogens encountered at its refineries and smelters, but the company continues to face lawsuits by workers who claim they were exposed to toxins without being told of the risks. They range from class actions involving thousands of workers to plant-specific cases.