08 FPT Strong Steel Back | Next 10 US Ecology South

08 FPT Strong Steel Back | Next 10 US Ecology South

At a Glance

Facility Name: Ferrous Processing & Trading (FPT) — Schlafer Division
Address: 1950 Medbury Avenue, Detroit, MI 48211
Operator / Owner: Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. (FPT subsidiary)
Industry Type: Scrap-metal recycling and metal-shearing yard
Key Pollutants: Fugitive particulate matter (dust), noise, metallic residue
Regulatory Oversight: Michigan EGLE Air Quality Division (AQD); Detroit Building, Safety, Engineering & Environmental Department (BSEED)
Nearby Land Use: Residential and light-industrial mix within ½ mile
Compliance Period Covered: 2019 – present
Verified Sources: EPA ECHO | EGLE MiEnviro | Detroit Violations 2019–2024

Facility Overview

The Ferrous Processing & Trading (FPT) Schlafer Division operates a scrap-metal recycling yard on Medbury Avenue, managed by Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. through its FPT subsidiary. The site handles incoming ferrous scrap from regional sources, which is unloaded, sorted, cut, and stored in outdoor piles before shipment to steel furnaces for remelting. Heavy-equipment shears, cranes, and diesel trucks dominate day-to-day operations, and most activity occurs outdoors on unpaved or partially paved surfaces.

Environmental risk at this site arises primarily from fugitive dust, metallic residue, and noise generated during mechanical cutting and truck loading. Dust emissions occur when dry material or soil becomes airborne under traffic or wind, carrying trace metals such as iron, zinc, and manganese. Because the property is open-air, these particles can travel off-site, especially during dry or windy conditions. Mitigation depends on continuous watering, surface paving, and covered storage — measures that are inconsistently maintained at many Detroit scrap-handling facilities.

The Schlafer Division has operated on this parcel for decades, surrounded by a patchwork of housing, small workshops, and vacant land. While the area is zoned for industrial use, it remains physically embedded within residential space, placing residents close to routine emissions and vehicle noise. The proximity underscores Detroit’s long-standing land-use tension between legacy industry and community redevelopment.

Compliance & Enforcement History (2019 – Present)

Regulatory oversight of FPT Schlafer is shared between EGLE’s Air Quality Division (AQD) and the City of Detroit’s BSEED Environmental Affairs Division. Public databases confirm the facility maintains an active state air permit under the Air Permits System (APS) for metal-recycling operations.

EGLE Inspections

  • September 2019: AQD conducted a routine inspection after dust complaints; minor violations noted for lack of surface watering and visible emissions crossing the fence line. The facility was issued advisory correspondencerather than a formal violation notice.
  • August 2022: EGLE inspectors again observed fugitive dust and residue on adjacent sidewalks and vehicles. A compliance letter referenced Rule 901(b), requiring immediate housekeeping improvements and dust-control plans. EGLE recommended paving, watering, and stockpile covers.
  • March 2024: Follow-up inspection reported partial improvements but continued dust generation from truck movements. EGLE categorized the site as “resolved with continuing oversight.”

City of Detroit Actions
Records in the Detroit Violations 2019–2024 dataset show citations issued under City Code § 22-2-83 (public nuisance from dust or debris) and § 8-15-32 (failure to maintain environmental controls) in 2021 and 2023. These were resolved administratively following payment of minor fines and submission of a dust-control plan.

Despite recurring documentation of off-site dust and noise, enforcement has remained advisory in nature. No state or federal penalty exceeding a warning has been recorded since 2019. This pattern reflects Detroit’s broader enforcement gap, where industrial operators are encouraged—but rarely compelled—to adopt robust mitigation.

Community Impact

Within roughly half a mile of the Medbury Avenue yard are rows of occupied homes, places of worship, and small businesses that coexist with heavy industrial traffic. Residents frequently report metallic dust on outdoor surfaces, vibrations from material handling, and the clang of shears and loaders during pre-dawn hours. These localized impacts add to existing cumulative burdens in Detroit’s east-side air-shed, which already carries elevated EPA EJScreen particulate percentiles and high asthma prevalence.

Under Michigan Air Pollution Control Rule 901(b), facilities must not emit air contaminants in quantities that cause “unreasonable interference with the comfortable enjoyment of life and property.” In principle, this rule prohibits the very nuisance conditions often observed around open scrap-yards. However, EGLE’s implementation depends largely on complaint-driven inspections, leaving gaps in prevention and transparency. Without continuous monitoring or binding corrective orders, compliance relies on operator discretion and periodic field checks that seldom capture day-to-day conditions.

Status & Sources

As of October 2025, FPT Schlafer Division remains an active operation under Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. ownership. The company reports implementing EGLE’s recommended dust-control steps — periodic watering and surface improvements — though independent verification is not publicly available. The facility continues to appear as an active source in MiEnviro’s Air Permits System, with its last recorded EGLE inspection in 2024.

Primary Verification Links:

08 FPT Strong Steel Back | Next 10 US Ecology South