Hamilton scrap metal company AIM fined $85K for violations of Ontario's Environmental Protection Act

A Hamilton scrap metal company has been fined $85,000 for violations of Ontario's Environmental Protection Act, the second time the company has been penalized by the province in 12 months. 

A Friday news release from the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks says American Iron & Metal Company, which goes by the acronym AIM, was fined on June 20.

The latest convictions are for — on three separate occasions — failing to comply with a ministry order by failing to ensure that no prohibited materials were processed within a shredder unless all gasses, fluids or other substances that may cause an explosion had been removed.

The ministry said the offences occurred between Oct. 22, 2020, and Jan. 7, 2021, and "several explosions occurred at the site" over that period. 

"AIM reported that crushed car bodies were being processed in the shredder at the time of the explosions and that the cause of the explosions was likely due to residual gas in gas tanks and/or concealed pressurized vessels," reads the news release.

The ministry said it received 34 separate complaints of noise and vibration from the local community following the explosions, adding that its Environmental Investigations and Enforcement Branch investigated and laid charges which resulted in the convictions.

In 2020, Environment Hamilton and residents in the Parkview West neighbourhood raised concerns about smog coming from AIM's scrapyard.

Dave Kebick, who has lived in Parkview West most of his life, said it wasn't the first time the community had had issues with AIM, noting "unbearable noise" in 2019. Then AIM added a shredder to its facility.

"That's when we started seeing this air pollution," Kebick said.

He said the visible smog, combined with dust and noise complaints, were upsetting.

"The concern is we raised this up to the Ministry of the Environment ... it almost feels like we're being shuffled to the side," Kebick explained at the time.

"We're all very concerned ... we had one family move out."

Following the explosions, "AIM has improved its inspection program and related procedures to deter suppliers from including prohibited materials in their loads," the ministry said in the release. "The company has a detailed program in place to minimize the potential for prohibited materials from entering the shredder."

AIM fined after load falls on worker

In May 2023 AIM was fined $65,000 by the Ministry of Labour after part of a load of scrap metal fell on one of its employees in 2021 while they were trying to unload it from a trailer.

Back then the company pleaded guilty to violating the Occupational Health and Safety Act by "failing to provide information, instruction and supervision to a worker on the safe procedure for unloading the 40-foot dump trailer," the ministry said.

It says the driver hadn't been instructed on the company's proper procedure for unloading the trailer, which was for the driver to stand behind the trailer door and use it as a shield from debris that could fall when it was opened.

"After opening one of the rear doors, the driver opened the other rear door part way. The driver then moved to the inside of the door to open it the rest of the way," the ministry said, noting the driver had worked there since 2020 but was in a new role and was still being trained.

In addition to the fines, the company was ordered in both cases to pay a 25 per cent surcharge to help fund services for victims of crime.

CBC Hamilton has reached out to AIM for comment but did not get a response by the time this article was published.