Residents tell council Capital Recycling is a long-running nuisance; company agrees to meet

Residents from Greater Washington Park told the City Council they have endured years of problems caused by a nearby recycling facility, alleging debris, burning, nails and screws in neighborhood streets, noise, dust, pests and health concerns. Classy Thomas, speaking for the neighborhood association, said the site sits amid residential zones and described repeated unsuccessful attempts to negotiate mitigation with the business owners.

Nut graf: Neighbors asked the council to use business‑license and zoning tools to address an environmental nuisance they say threatens health and undermines neighborhood revitalization. Tracy Presley and others described multiple cancer cases in a small cluster of houses—an observation they said was "strange" though they did not assert a proven causal link to the facility.

Attorney Drew Gable, representing Capital Recycling, said his client has operated at the location for more than 20 years and was not aware some complaints would be raised at that meeting; he said the company is willing to work on compliance and meet with city staff and residents. Council directed the company, economic-development and zoning staff to meet with residents in the lobby and carry the review forward, with the item to return every two weeks until solutions are found.

Ending: Council scheduled an immediate follow-up meeting in the lobby and instructed staff to coordinate compliance checks and ongoing review; the matter will be revisited biweekly until the parties report progress.