A public hearing by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection over plans to allow a scrap metal recycling company to increase its operations was met with significant opposition by residents, prompting the agency to cut short its public meeting.
On Aug. 12 the DEP held a hearing for residents of Chester, PA to comment on Clean Metal LLC’s plans to increase its operations in the city. The company already had a beneficial permit to handle ash-covered metal that was created by American Ref-Fuel through its processing steps.
However, strong opposition by protestors at the meeting forced an end to the public hearing. Joe Ferry, a spokesman for the Pennsylvania DEP, said the state agency would continue to study whether the company could increase its operations. “We will continue to review the application,” Ferry said.
Clean Metal is seeking to boost the amount of metal it can handle, and is seeking a special permit by the state to allow it to increase its processing capabilities.
According to an article in the Philadelphia Inquirer, Clean Metal proposed building the plant in Chester after abandoning a similar project in Fairmont, W.V., after residents complained about pollution generated by the company.
Under the general permit, Clean Metal proposes to receive approximately 100 tons per day of scrap metal combined with ash after the incineration process at American Ref-Fuel. Clean Metal LLC would separate the ash from the metal by shaking, scraping and/or screening. Recycled metal would be sold on the open market, while the ash would be containerized and sent to an approved landfill for disposal outside Chester. The entire process, including ash storage, would take place inside an existing building on the site.
Although the proposal calls for Clean Metal LLC to accept up to 100 tons of metal per day from American Ref-Fuel, it may import material from other sources in the future.
Clean Metal is seeking a Determination of Applicability for coverage under a Commonwealth-issued general permit to operate on the property. Clean Metal LLC currently accepts scrap metal consisting of ferrous metals, such as iron, and non-ferrous metals, such as aluminum, from American Ref-Fuel for recycling.
American Ref-Fuel currently attempts to remove as much incinerator ash from the metals prior to delivery to Clean Metal LLC. Under the general permit, while American Ref-Fuel would still make efforts to keep the incidental ash content of the metals to a minimum, Clean Metal would be permitted to process any non-incidental amounts of ash attached to the metals and transferred to the company.