Attorney General Jennifer Davenport and the Department of Environmental Protection announced on Mar. 19 that they have amended their lawsuit against EMR Advanced Recycling to address several additional fires at the company’s facilities in recent weeks.
The issue is significant because repeated fires at EMR’s scrap metal recycling sites have raised concerns about public health, safety, and quality of life for residents living nearby. The state aims to hold EMR accountable for these incidents and prevent further harm to affected communities.
“Shame on EMR. For years, fires at their facilities have endangered public health and public safety. Those fires continue to this day, with multiple new blazes reported in the last few weeks alone,” said Attorney General Davenport. “Together with our partners in the Department of Environmental Protection, we are committed to holding EMR accountable and protecting the public from these recurring fires. We look forward to proving our case against EMR in court and putting a stop to this outrageous conduct once and for all.”
DEP Acting Commissioner Ed Potosnak said, “Camden residents should not have to live under the ongoing threat of fires that impact their quality of life and pose public health and safety risks. Together with Attorney General Davenport and her team, the DEP will work to ensure that EMR is held accountable for its continued failure to prevent these fires from occurring.”
The amended complaint now includes reports of a fire at EMR’s shredder facility on February 26 as well as an incident involving scrap metal burning aboard an EMR-owned barge traveling through Delaware Bay on March 10. The barge was transporting material from Bayonne to Camden facilities. State officials say that since 2020, there has been a pattern of such incidents causing smoke and air pollution in surrounding neighborhoods.
EMR operates metal recycling centers in Camden’s Waterfront South neighborhood, which is identified as an overburdened community under New Jersey’s Environmental Justice Law due to its high proportion of low-income, minority, or limited English proficiency populations.
The New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin aims to protect residents’ lives and property while upholding legal standards across all counties and municipalities according to the official website. The office influences public safety by enforcing laws statewide, prosecuting offenses, regulating matters related to public safety under its statutory mandate, providing law enforcement oversight, crime lab support, victim advocacy services, consumer protection initiatives, and serving as a state agency focused on justice throughout New Jersey according to the official website.
Officials say they are determined to pursue legal action until lasting solutions are achieved for Camden residents facing ongoing environmental hazards.
