Residents of Bellingham have become increasingly worried about the possibility of a new industrial Metal Shredder located just yards away from our city limits on Marine Drive. Save The Waterfront, and now you, are working with City, County and State officials to stop the Metal Shredder from being permitted. Metal Shredders are too dangerous to mitigate when they are so close to residents.

The Marine Drive land is zoned as heavy industrial, but that’s an antiquated zoning given the increasing number of homes — and an elementary school! — in the Urban Growth Area surrounding the property. Bellingham might gain a few jobs in this case, but could possibly suffer a net loss of jobs due to the challenges faced by other nearby industries. Real estate values will also suffer, not to mention the health of nearby residents and children.

Urban Growth Areas should NOT be used for massive industrial metal shredders, which can release toxic metals such as lead and harmful Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) that are impossible to contain. Because of these and other factors such as constant noise and heavy truck traffic, metal shredders of this sort are almost always located miles away, not yards away, from residential areas. Thank you for keeping yourself informed on this important issue.