An open letter to our neighbors and the community

As some of you may know, Northern Metal Recycling has asked the MPCA for modifications to our Minneapolis shredder operating permit. Unfortunately, there is misinformation and misrepresentation of the facts that can cause unwarranted concern. Because we value your input, we would like to briefly address some of these questions and concerns.  The environmental benefits of recycling are too important to be clouded with unanswered questions.  We hope these answers will help.

Is there a change in hours of operation?
No. We are not extending or altering our normal hours of operation.

Why are you asking for a permit modification?
In the thirteen years since the original permits were issued, and after three years of actual operations, technological advances and experience allow us to fine-tune our recycling process (already the most efficient and cleanest in the state) to be even more efficient.

For example, we currently shred only dismantled automobile parts – engines, frames, bumpers, etc.  It is much more efficient, and the industry standard, to shred the pre-processed car whole. A more detailed explanation is available here: Recycling Automobiles.

What about mercury?
There is no change in the permitted amount of mercury emissions. We are simply requesting a modification in the standard and the monitoring protocol to be put on an annualized, rather than an hourly, basis.  This more accurately reflects the occurrence and ongoing environmental impact of mercury as it exists in the metal recycling process.

What about particulate matter (PM)?
We have installed the best pollution control equipment to remove metal particulates and other particulates from the shredder’s exhaust stream.  In fact, the equipment installed is more sophisticated than required by our permit.  We are requesting a modification in the total amount of permitted PM.

In very simple terms, PM is generated in two forms – “dry” particulates and “condensable” particulates.  Dry particles are captured by our state-of-the-art emission

controls, and we easily come under the permitted limits for dry particulates. 

Condensables are basically solids dissolved in water (e.g. hardness), that are generated from the water used for scrubbing and temperature control and that condenses back to particulates at some point.  These condensable particulates are included in the permitted amount, but cannot be completely captured – even with the most advanced technology available. 

Because our permit set the standard for condensable particulates at a level too low to be achieved even with the best pollution control equipment, we are requesting that the total amount of permitted PM be increased.  Although this number is larger, it must be pointed out that this reflects the most particulate that can be captured by the best pollution control equipment, and that it is still within all regulatory guidelines. 

In addition, Northern Metals voluntarily prepared a risk assessment following MPCA guidelines that shows this PM increase does not present a threat to human health or the environment.

What about other emissions, such as PCBs, dioxins, etc.?
Contaminants, such as PCBs, etc., are either not present, or occur in such very low levels in our emissions, that continually testing for them places an unnecessary burden on us and regulatory agencies.  So, we are requesting a modification in the monitoring protocols.

What other changes are you asking for?
Although the vast bulk of our shredding will always be recycled ferrous materials, we are requesting a permit change that allows us to include incidental amounts of aluminum and other non-ferrous metals in our shredding operations.  This requires a slight increase in pemitting certain types of metals emissions, but again, these increased limits are well within state and federal regulatory requirements and, according to the risk assessment, do not present a threat to human health or the environment.

Northern Metal Recycling has installed the most sophisticated metal shredder in Minnesota. The installation includes the best pollution control equipment available, which allows the company to agree to the most stringent emission limits in our industry.  We are the only recycling facility in Minnesota that can process metal this efficiently and minimize emissions to levels that are roughly 10 times lower than any similarly permitted facility in our state.

We will continue to communicate facts about our operation, correct incomplete and/or inaccurate information in the public domain and engage the community in which we operate.  It is our intention to continue the long history of metal recycling in Minneapolis, with best available technologies, providing long term opportunities for our company and our nearly 300 employees.