Northern Metal Recycling shuts down Minneapolis shredder

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) says it has reached a settlement agreement with Northern Metal Recycling (NMR), with business offices in Minneapolis. The company is an operating division of Great Britain-based EMR.

The settlement pertains to NMR’s errors in reporting emissions records for its automobile shredder at 2800 Pacific St. N. in Minneapolis. Under the terms of the settlement agreement, NMR admitted it submitted inaccurate emissions records for its auto shredder to the MPCA, which it shut down Sept. 23.

“This consent decree is not an admission or concession by Northern Metals of any exceedances of its permitted air emissions and is likewise not an admission or concession by MPCA that there were not exceedances of Northern Metals’ permitted air emissions,” the agreement reads. 

In a statement regarding the agreement, MPCA Commissioner Laura Bishop says, “Minnesota expects its corporate citizens to do the right thing and follow its permit requirements. Northern Metal Recycling broke the public’s trust and showed a willful disregard toward its neighbors. These serious violations required a swift and proportional action.”

In addition, the MPCA can reopen NMR’s permit for the new Becker, Minnesota, auto shredding facility to incorporate additional monitors and reports for its pollution control equipment. 

The company also is required to pay a $200,000 civil penalty by Oct. 1, the MPCA says.

The consent agreement is available at www.pca.state.mn.us/sites/default/files/consent-decree-september-23-2019.pdf.

NMR did not respond to a request for comment.