Radius Recycling, the entity that has risen from the industrial legacy of Schnitzer Steel, has been hit with a $575,000 fine for multiple air quality violations at its facilities in West Oakland and San Jose. Binding the company to this settlement, the fine addresses a series of eight notices of violation – seven of which relate to the air pollution abatement equipment at its West Oakland shredding operation, and one notice zeroes in on the operations at its San Jose Pick-n-Pull Auto Dismantlers, as revealed by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District.
Under a new policy adopted by the Air District Board in May 2024, a portion of collected penalties like this one now directly funds projects designed to aid the afflicted communities due to violations that impact their air quality. Of the total fine levied against Radius Recycling, $237,500 will be channeled back into such local initiatives.
Radius Recycling operates a facility in West Oakland where metal from various sources is shredded and sorted for reuse in international steel mills and foundries. At the same time, Pick-n-Pull Auto Dismantlers offers recycled auto parts to consumers in San Jose. To comply with Air District regulations, new abatement technology was installed on the metal shredder in West Oakland in 2022. This reduced emissions significantly, yet subsequent tests revealed problems – including tuning issues that increased nitrogen oxide emissions and a mist eliminator problem allowing excess particulate matter emissions. Still, by late 2022 and 2023, these issues had been rectified. For these and other related problems, such as the late submittal of test results, the seven notices were issued by the Air District.
It's important to note that this penalty is separate from the August 2023 fire at the West Oakland facility. Those violations have been referred to the Alameda County District Attorney for potential criminal prosecution. California law stipulates that air quality violations can be faced by civil prosecution by the Air District or the District Attorney's office, but not both simultaneously. The criminal pursuit by the District Attorney is an ongoing affair.
