Pilsen Metal Scrapper Sims Gets City Hall OK over Neighbors’ Protests
City Approves Permit for Sims Metal Management
Almost three years after the city denied a controversial scrap metal operation’s bid to open on the Southeast Side, Mayor Brandon Johnson’s administration gave the OK to a similar polluting business, Sims Metal Management, to continue shredding cars, appliances, and other junk at its longtime home in Pilsen.
The Permit Application and Controversy
Sims runs junked cars and other large items through massive shredding equipment that separates and salvages metal for resale. The process creates air pollution, and that’s been the focus of concern around the operation’s permit application since it was filed in December 2021. Sims is the only car-shredding operation in Chicago, and community members sought to derail the company’s efforts to get a new permit from the city. Some called for a health impact study to determine if Sims and other nearby polluters in the industrial area of Pilsen are harming residents.
Health Department Response
The health department said in a statement that it “will enforce compliance with the permit conditions,” and that “any violations or risks identified will result in immediate corrective action to protect the community.”
Sims’ Statement
In a statement, Sims said “this approval is the right decision so that the critical work of recycling can continue in Chicago,” referring to the salvaging of scrap metal. “We remain fully committed to continuing to achieve the city’s operational expectations.”
Company’s History of Pollution Violations
Sims has run afoul of federal and state pollution laws in the past. The business at 2500 S. Paulina St. is in the process of building pollution-control equipment mandated by the state following a lawsuit. In 2021, Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul sued Sims saying the business had not demonstrated it was reducing air pollution. The company previously entered into a settlement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to improve its pollution controls.
City’s Decision and Monitoring
The city said air monitoring will continue, and emissions from Sims would not cause either short- or long-term health effects for the community near the facility, citing EPA findings. The city also said it will enforce compliance with the permit conditions and take immediate corrective action if any violations or risks are identified.
Comparison to General Iron
The Sims outcome is much different than one for another similar metal scrapper. In February 2022, the public health department of then-Mayor Lori Lightfoot rejected a permit application from the owner of the relocated and rebranded General Iron metal-shredding business. General Iron was moving from its longtime home in Lincoln Park, where neighbors complained about the pollution, smells, and noise from the operation. In a letter to General Iron’s owner, health officials said then that they found “the facility proposes to undertake an inherently dangerous activity in a vulnerable community.” That fully built operation is standing idle at East 116th Street along the Calumet River.
Conclusion
The city’s decision to approve Sims’ permit application has sparked concerns about the potential health impacts of the operation on surrounding residents. While the city and Sims have cited EPA findings that emissions from the facility do not pose a significant health risk, community members remain wary of the potential consequences of allowing the business to continue operating.
FAQs
* What is Sims Metal Management?
+ Sims is a scrap metal recycling facility that runs junked cars and other large items through massive shredding equipment to separate and salvage metal for resale.
* What is the controversy surrounding Sims’ permit application?
+ The controversy surrounds the potential health impacts of the operation on surrounding residents, particularly in an area considered an “environmental justice” community.
* What is the city’s stance on the issue?
+ The city has approved Sims’ permit application, citing EPA findings that emissions from the facility do not pose a significant health risk. The city also said it will enforce compliance with the permit conditions and take immediate corrective action if any violations or risks are identified.
* How does this decision compare to the General Iron permit application?
+ The Sims outcome is much different than one for another similar metal scrapper, General Iron, which was rejected by the city in 2022 due to concerns about the potential health impacts of the operation on surrounding residents.
