Councilman Wants Scrap Recycler Closed

Less than six months after the Metals Recycling Co., Johnston, RI, made a public relations push to convince residents it is a good neighbor, the company has raised the ire of a town councilman who says he is upset about explosions at the plant.

Councilman Joseph Wells, who represents the area that includes the metal-shredding plant, said he wants the council to support a resolution asking Mayor William R. Macera to order the plant closed until the company comes up with a plan to stop the blasts.

This isn't an isolated thing, that has resulted from one or two explosions, he said. It's rocking the buildings around there.

According to records Macera has from the Fire Department, there have been 18 explosions between Jan. 1 and March 14th. According to the same records, from January 2001 to last December there were 31 reported explosions. They are listed on the report as backfire of shredder.

In most cases the town Fire and Police Departments have responded, but in some cases they have not, Wells said. They call the Fire Department and tell them what's happened, and no one goes, he said. The departments have responded in cases where citizens have complained, he said.

On an average day a total of about 1,000 cars and trucks are crushed.

Francis X. McMahon, a company spokesman, said the problem results from gasoline tanks that have not been removed from cars and by old propane tanks that have been thrown out.

There has been a little upturn, in the number of explosions recently, McMahon said.

McMahon said part of the problem apparently is a result of a new regulation that took effect last year in 26 states, including Massachusetts, which requires a new valve stem on the propane tanks used by backyard barbecue chefs. The new stem is equipped with a float that prevents tanks from being overfilled. That can cause a leak, which can cause a fire.

Since it costs nearly as much to put in a replacement valve as it does to buy a new tank, many barbecue enthusiasts are apparently getting new tanks and are discarding the old ones.

McMahon said old tanks were being found in junk cars, even though many of the cars are partially crushed when they arrive at the company's facility. The tanks are still intact. So he said the company now has three people who rip the cars open looking for propane tanks.

But he said people also hide the tanks in so-called light metal goods, including washing machines and refrigerators.

It took us by surprise, he said. Now we have people looking in the machines before they are crushed.

McMahon said the company is not pleased with the situation. It's a distraction for us, he said. And it requires additional manpower to look for the tanks.

McMahon said he met with Wells and Fire Chief Victor Cipriano on the matter several weeks ago. The next thing I hear is about the resolution, he said.

Wells said his resolution would ask Macera to order that the company be closed as a public safety hazard, until it comes up with an acceptable plan to remedy the problem.

Macera said he was aware of the resolution. I want to talk with the council before I decide what to do, he said.

The council will consider the resolution in a special meeting set for March 24 in the Municipal Court. It is one of about three items on the agenda. McMahon said he plans to be at the session.

The problem with the exploding tanks comes about four months after Metals Recycling held a meeting with several dozen neighbors to try to convince them that the company, which was the scene of a multiple-alarm fire in July, was interested in bettering community relations.