Northern Metal Recycling site catches fire

The company had been preparing to start its shredder at its facility in Becker, Minnesota, when a fire broke out.

A major fire broke out at Northern Metal Recycling, Becker, Minnesota, Tuesday, Feb. 18. The scrap metal recycler has business offices in Minneapolis and is an operating division of Great Britain-based EMR

Last fall, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) had reached a settlement agreement with Northern Metal Recycling to shut down the company’s auto shredder at 2800 Pacific St. N. in Minneapolis. Under terms of the settlement agreement, Northern Metal Recycling admitted that it had submitted inaccurate emissions records for its auto shredder to MPCA. In addition, the MPCA was able to reopen Northern Metal Recycling’s permit for operating an auto shredder at its Becker facility and to incorporate additional monitors and reports for pollution control equipment. 

According to the Star Tribune newspaper, Minneapolis, Northern Metal Recycling had been preparing the start of shredding operations at the Becker site when the fire broke out at the Becker site last week.

According to a news release from the Becker Police Department, the fire wasn’t completely extinguished until Saturday, Feb. 22. Police report that private firefighters hired by Northern Metal Recycling were reported to have left the site by Sunday, Feb. 23. 

Investigators from Minnesota’s State Fire Marshal’s office are continuing to investigate the cause of the fire, Becker Police Department says. Also, MPCA is monitoring the ambient air for particulate matter at four locations near the Becker recycling plant. According to air quality tests from MPCA Feb. 20, the tests indicated no signs of metals in the air and low levels of particulates. 

However, MPCA reports that the state has moved to shut down the recycling company and it has prohibited the company from accepting more scrap and operating its shredder. 

According to the Star Tribune newspaper, Northern Metal Recycling is forbidden from operating until it completes a list of required actions, including an environmental damage assessment, a cleanup plan and an updated plan for storing scrap metal. It also cannot bring in scrap or use the shredder until the source and cause of the fire has been identified.