‘They just scare the crap out of you.’ Violent metal shredder explosions spur probe in Hamilton’s east end

The metal shredder explosions feel worse than they sound to Emmalene Pruden's 10-year-old daughter.

Sure, the massive boom" is startling whenever a rogue gasoline or propane tank is crunched inside AIM Recycling's mega-shredder across the road from Pruden's east end home on Tate Avenue.

But with the big ones, the whole house vibrates," said Pruden. My youngest gets anxious, because her loft bed shakes ... she can watch the dust and particulate fall from the ceiling."

For nearly a year, outraged residents in the Parkview neighbourhood tucked between Woodward Avenue and Nikola Tesla Boulevard have complained about those booming blasts waking them up, dropping picture frames from walls and cracking plaster - or even foundations.

Now, the provincial Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks says it is investigating whether those explosions broke the law. Spokesperson Jennifer Hall said the probe started in December and will focus on explosions reported last fall.

But residents say the explosions are even more frequent now - despite provincial orders against both Triple M Metals and AIM Recycling last spring which were meant to prevent shredder blasts.

Eileen Finch said blasts have rocked her cinder block home almost daily this year. (The ministry confirmed to The Spectator explosions occurred daily at AIM between Jan. 5 and 8 as well as again on Jan. 11.)

They just scare the crap out of you. It sounds like thunder and feels like a small earthquake," said Finch. I always call it in (to the ministry), but I'm getting pretty tired of it ... What is anyone actually doing about it?"

AIM Recycling has not responded to Spectator interview requests about either the explosions or shredder pollution clouds that spurred complaints last year. But the company added new technology last year to scan incoming loads of scrap for hidden fuel tanks and created a complaint line for residents to call at 905-547-3401.

If the new ministry investigation finds wrongdoing, AIM could faces charges under Ontario's environmental laws. Separately, provincial officials also met with the company Jan. 14 to discuss the latest explosions, said Hall. The ministry has yet to determine the appropriate compliance actions," she said.

Some residents are also asking the city for help.

Ward Coun. Sam Merulla organized a meeting in late 2019 to talk about residents concerns with local recyclers, but he said Friday the problem is outside city jurisdiction. Until environmental laws are created to be enforced rather than (as) voluntary window dressing ... nothing will ever change," he said.

Hamilton is not the only city seeking a provincial crackdown on AIM explosions.

AIM also runs a provincially regulated shredder plagued by explosions in Saint John, N.B. Public outrage at one point prompted New Brunswick to temporarily close AIM's east coast shredder and enforce new noise limits.

As a result, some explosions now trigger new shutdowns - but the shredder is always allowed to start up again, said Saint John Mayor Don Darling, who noted his city has little jurisdiction over federal port activities.

As a municipal government, we are quasi-bystanders in all of this - but it's my phone that rings off the hook," said Darling, who estimated thousands" of Saint John residents live close enough to feel each large explosion.

Darling has reached out to Hamilton advocates to compare notes on the fight to end shredder explosions. I wanted to see if there were lessons to be learned," he said. And if nothing else, misery loves company."

Matthew Van Dongen is a Hamilton-based reporter covering transportation for The Spectator. Reach him via email: mvandongen@thespec.com