Recycler Being Forced to Move

Over the past several years more scrap recyclers have reported difficulties when dealing with local communities. Several scrap recyclers have claimed that unfair pressure on their operations by active communities have forced their operations to either move, close down, or, in some cases, put in costly equipment to stay open.

For AAA Salvage & Recycling, located in Auburn, Wash., it is refreshing that the local community is not pressuring them to leave. However, more ominous, the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway is the one that is forcing the scrap recycler to vacate the property.

According to Lowell Christian, owner of the recycling yard, the railroad late last month told him that he had to vacate the property by Nov. 1. Christian said that his company, which he opened close to four years ago, is on BN property.

Christian says the company was notified that it had to leave due to what the railroad said were due to environmental conditions. However, Christian said that the only problem the company has had since he has operated the facility was an oil puddle caused by one of his pieces of equipment. After being notified of the puddle Christian promptly cleaned up the site.

What Christian feels is the real reason the company is forcing him to leave the site is the past owner of the property signed a lease and never paid the BN while it operated. The original owner of the property has since gone bankrupt. Christian is quick to point out that the new company is not in any way related to the former owner. He purchased the building on the land and then approached the Burlington Northern about getting a lease for the property.

While he has operated at the site for about four years, he also has yet to pay rent to BN. However, he says that he constantly was asking the railroad about payment, and continually asked about signing a lease, which, he claims the company kept promising but never did.