Rhode Island Residents Concerned Over Fires at Recycled Metals Scrapyard

Rhode Island Recycled Metals was under fire from area residents at a meeting it held earlier this week to outline a site inspection report.

Locals are upset with the company saying the meeting was filled with data that was hard to understand and wasn’t about the facility’s recent fires. So far this year, the scrapyard has seen two fires which has raised concerns about environmental and health impacts.

Richard Nicholson, an attorney representing Rhode Island Recycled Metals, shared a report that found 32% arsenic and 12% lead from 34 soil samples taken from the facility.

“It basically shows that this site shows no risk to the community, it says it in the report,” said Nicholson.

The scrapyard was shut down by a Rhode Island Superior Court judge last month following a fire, and Nicholson said he’s hopeful it can reopen this week.

“We’ve taken incredible strides towards enhancing our safety plan,” Nicholson said. “Rethinking our pile management but security with infrared really became the focus of this plan.”

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