MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) – A tense city council committee meeting was almost packed and split down the middle with detractors and supporters of Capital Recycling.
The company is located right in front of the Greater Washington Park neighborhood off Mobile Highway, and several residents in that neighborhood wish that wasn’t the case.
“We get the dust, we get the dust plumes, we see the smoke, we’ve already captured this on camera,” said neighborhood association President Classie Thomas. “We’ve got problems with rodents, possums, rats, then we’ve got problems with the sludge that when they clean it off it runs down our street into our drainage.”
Perhaps the biggest concern raised is if the facility’s location contributes to cancer diagnoses in the neighborhood.
“I have cancer, the neighbor across from me has cancer, the couple next to me has cancer, the wife died,” one resident told the committee. “There’s 15 of us.”
No concrete evidence was shown that Capital Recycling causes cancer, though the committee was encouraged to look at EPA studies in other states dealing with residents living near a non-ferrous metal recycling plant.
“We’re not changing chemically anything or mixing and matching, so I’m not sure where exactly the cancer is coming from,” said Capital Recycling President Tommy Fleming. “I know that older homes have radon gas, lead pipes, lead paint, asbestos, things like that which may have impacted those people.”
Fleming adds that he has worked with the community in the past and will continue to do so, agreeing with a council member that suggested trees be planted as a barrier between the plant and the neighborhood.
“Moving forward we’re going to come up with more of a resolution instead of going back and forth,” Fleming said. “I’ve got a lot of customers that I’ve known and helped out for over twenty years in that community.”
Records obtained by WSFA show that the company attended several neighborhood meetings between 2008 and 2022 and had attempted to alleviate previous trash and traffic concerns.
Moving, however, is a different situation. Fleming estimates relocation would cost $3 million, which is not feasible.
There are also zoning concerns. Residents say that Capital Recycling should be zoned as an industrial business rather than their current status as being in a highway commercial district.
Councilwoman Franetta Riley represents the area and tells WSFA she would like to see the current zoning to be reconsidered.
The committee referred the matter to the board of adjustments. The next board of adjustment meeting will be at city hall on Thursday, May 21 at 5 p.m.
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