By A.J. EVANS
Capital News Service
LANSING – The city of Dearborn and industrial scrapyard Pro V Enterprises have settled a lawsuit over alleged pollution-control problems.
The agreement comes after the city sued the company in April, accusing it of violating Dearborn’s dust ordinance, according to the city.
Under the settlement, the company agreed to spend more than $1 million toward mitigating “fugitive dust” pollution. Fugitive dust occurs when small particles generated by human activities escape their immediate surroundings and become suspended in the air.
The company website says its scrapyard provides “metal processing solutions for industrial and manufacturing sectors” and partners with automotive, manufacturing, construction and machine shops.
In a statement, Mayor Abdullah Hammoud called the settlement “a step towards holding corporations accountable for the harm caused to public health and the environment in our community.”
Ali Abazeed, Dearborn’s director of public health, said fugitive dust pollution can be harmful, and the settlement sends a larger message for community residents.
“When we take actions like we’ve taken with those against Pro V Enterprises, we’re sending a signal to everybody in the community, that the health and well-being of our residents is paramount, that their health and well-being comes first and that we have an unwavering dedication to improving that health and well-being,” Abazeed said.
An attorney for the company, Amir Makled, said in a statement that the agreement “demonstrates Pro V Enterprise’s commitment to operating responsibly and in accordance with applicable regulations while striving to be a good neighbor to the surrounding community.”
“This collaborative approach reflects a shared commitment to finding practical solutions that benefit both the community and Pro-V Enterprise’s continued operation,” Makled said.
The company agreed to complete its pollution-mitigation improvements by Dec. 31, 2024, according to the city.
A.J. Evans has an environmental reporting internship under the MSU Knight Center for Environmental Journalism’s diversity reporting partnership with the Mott News Collaborative. This story was written for Michigan Public Radio.