Petition Calling For Relocation Of General Iron Gains Momentum

CHICAGO, IL — Hundreds of people have signed a petition calling for General Iron in Lincoln Park to relocate. For years, residents and people who work in Lincoln Park have said the scrap yard is a health hazard. Many residents say there hasn't been a big enough push by city, state and federal leaders to move the yard.

The Change.org petition has gained more than 2,000 signatures. The petition has been circulating for more than two years, and has gained hundreds of comments calling for action.

A number of the commenters said they work at PAWS Chicago in Lincoln Park, and are not only concerned about their own health, but the wellbeing of the pets they work with. Dozens of commenters said the yard should've been relocated "years ago."

"Our sidewalks are filthy and littered with dust, our windows are smeared with grime from the particles in the air...sometimes even leaking into our home," one commenter wrote. "On days when the wind is blowing, the air has a particular burning/chemical smell that is nauseating."

Residents held a meeting Tuesday night to discuss their concerns about the scrap yard's impact on air and water quality.

Lincoln Park resident Warren Baker funded a private study on air quality near the yard. The test was conducted by a professor and doctoral student at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Baker said the study confirmed there is a health risk to residents.

The city's health commissioner called Baker's claim "inaccurate," and said none of the levels of particulate matter detected in the study exceeded the EPA's national standard. The commissioner said it was "inappropriate to draw conclusions until a full study has been completed."

The commissioner said the city will work with the EPA to evaluate the results of air monitoring that General Iron will be conducting.

A spokesperson for General Iron said there's a lot of misinformation being spread in the community that's inaccurate. The representative said the company won't respond until a full study has been conducted.

In 2006, the EPA forced General Iron to make $1 million in upgrades after code violations and fined the company $250. The company was also temporarily shut down in 2015 for several code violations after a fire.

Image via Google Maps Streetview