Dearborn, Scrapyard Reach Settlement Over Air Pollution Concerns

DEARBORN, MI — Dearborn officials announced Wednesday the city reached a settlement with a local trucking and scrapyard company over air pollution concerns.

Officials accused Pro-V Enterprises, LLC, located on Wyoming Avenue between Interstate 94 and Southern Avenue, of creating excessive amounts of "fugitive dust" that endangers the health of residents in the area.

Pro-V Enterprises agreed to invest over $1 million to upgrade its operations and control fugitive dust emissions through a comprehensive plan, which includes installing dust suppression systems, performing regular road cleaning and implementing employee training.

The company also said it will add concrete to the scrapyard area, giving trucks a stable platform to minimize dust generation from their beds.

"Residents in neighborhoods surrounding industry have historically experienced its worst effects," Dearborn Mayor Abdullah H. Hammoud said. "Today's settlement with Pro-V Enterprises, LLC. is a step towards holding corporations accountable for the harm caused to public health and the environment in our community. Such business practices will not be tolerated within Dearborn. This is a win for all the families in the Southend and broader community who continue to advocate for better environmental conditions across the city."

Officials said the scrapyard has been ticketed at least 16 times for violating the city’s fugitive dust ordinance. The scrapyard is less than one mile from residential streets in Detroit and Dearborn.

"Fugitive dust" is an airborne particulate matter that has been linked to various respiratory problems such as asthma, chronic bronchitis and chronic COPD, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Pro-V says it provides transportation and processes metal processing for manufacturing, automotive, construction and machine shops at its "full-service scrapyard," according to the company's website.

Federal health officials say there are multiple ways to help control significant amounts of dust from being released into the air, such as covering or watering down materials in storage piles, paving unpaved roads and capping speed limits to 5 miles per hour on unpaved roads and 10 miles per hour on paved roads.