Pilsen neighbors gather to protest pollution, operations of scrap metal shredder

CHICAGO (CBS) — Dozens filled church pews in the Pilsen neighborhood Thursday night to protest air pollution in the area.

They met at St. Paul’s Catholic Church, 2172 W. 22nd Pl., to demand that nearby Sims Metal Management – a scrap metal shredding company – either clean up their operations or move out.

The company is seeking state and city approvals to keep operating. But last year, the Environmental Protection Agency found Sims was emitting high levels of air pollutants and required it to lower them – pending those permits.

“It makes me mad when I found out that we are not breathing the same air that North Siders are breathing, or that other communities are breathing, or you know, in other places, they’re breathing – and that all these companies are siting in our neighborhood,” said Pilsen resident Ana Gonzales.

The EPA last year found Sims was emitting high levels of chemicals called volatile organic material – which can cause respiratory issues in people, said Illinois EPA Director John Kim.

“There is a requirement in state regulation, which is included in the permit, that they have to reduce it by at least 8 percent – and they were not reducing it by that amount,” Kim said.

The EPA said Sims, 2500 S. Paulina St., has started monitoring its emission levels.

“We actually believe they will be reduced way past that required level,” Kim said.

However, residents want the company shut down altogether – citing what they call an environmental injustice.

“The same factories and polluters that were on the North Side – they were closed down and allowed to open up here,” said Pilsen activist Emma Lozano.

“I want them gone. They can find someplace else,” added Gonzales, “someplace else where there’s not a lot of people so they can do what they need to do.”

We did reach out to the company and were waiting to hear back late Thursday.