Smith Foundry’s closure is only the first step

Opinion editor’s note: Star Tribune Opinion publishes a mix of national and local commentaries online and in print each day. To contribute, click here.

•••

This article was signed by several parents whose names are listed below.

•••

We are parents of young children who attend Círculo de Amigos Child Care Center (CACCC) in the East Phillips neighborhood of Minneapolis. We chose Círculo for its unique, nature-based, child-development-focused Spanish immersion program. The warmth and care our children receive there makes CACCC feel like an extension of our families. So when we noticed the acrid odor of toxic fumes coming from Smith Foundry across the street, we were deeply concerned.

For generations, parents like us have lost sleep worrying about the air their children breathe, the toxins they might be exposed to and the long-term health consequences of living near Smith Foundry. We know that air pollution is harmful to human health, especially to the developing brains and lungs of young children. This would be bad enough, but many of our children already have health challenges. One of the undersigned parents has twins born 14 weeks prematurely, whose lungs are particularly vulnerable, while others, like many in East Phillips, have asthma linked to air pollution.

Some families, understandably, would have changed day cares if they were able. Instead, we chose to stay and defend our community. Our children were thriving in a loving and nurturing environment. So, like those before us, we fought relentlessly for our children’s right to clean air. Alongside CACCC staff and many others, we organized protests, attended community meetings and advocated to our elected officials.

Our fight was not easy. Zynik Capital, the Canadian private equity firm that has owned Smith since 2022, claimed it was “committed to being a good neighbor,” despite a surprise EPA inspection in May 2023 revealing multiple Clean Air Act violations. These violations included emitting nearly twice the allowed air pollution, having a malfunctioning baghouse resulting in unfiltered emissions and not notifying the state about equipment failures. Zynik also proclaimed it “did not use lead” at Smith Foundry, yet air monitors consistently showed lead emissions from the site. Furthermore, the leaders of Zynik noted they “wish[ed] there was more we could do” to support their workers, even though OSHA found “serious” violations of Zynik exposing its workers to toxic levels of chemicals and not providing them with proper training or protective equipment as recently as March 2024.

These violations led to an EPA settlement that established what Smith Foundry needed to do to stay open and preserve union jobs, including replacing their outdated 1992 air permit. Zynik deemed this process too burdensome, and thus announced on July 26 that Smith Foundry will permanently close its doors on Aug. 15.

The closure of Smith means we now no longer worry about exposing our children to toxic air at day care. However, its closure is just the beginning. We must ensure the following as we move forward:

1) Comprehensive site remediation: East Phillips residents already carry a disproportionate burden of pollution exposure in the city. The community of East Phillips deserves a comprehensive and community-led remediation plan to prevent harmful exposures during the site’s demolition and to determine the future use of the site.

2) Protecting jobs and health: Smith blamed our badly needed environmental protections for the job loss of its workers, even though the OSHA investigation proved that the company cared little for their well-being. We don’t need to pit environmental justice against good union jobs. We must develop solutions and modernize facilities to prioritize both good jobs and public health.

3) Ongoing accountability: We demand ongoing accountability and action from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and our local and state representatives to uphold critical environmental protections and cumulative impact laws to ensure all children across the state can breathe clean air and thrive.

As parents, this is personal. For us, environmental justice means ensuring our children have clean air. It means a future where we don’t stay up at night administering breathing treatments or relying on a litany of medications, medical specialists and emergency room visits, just so they can breathe.

We will not rest until East Phillips is free from the toxic legacy of industrial pollution. And we’re committed to helping other communities across Minnesota, including those impacted by St. Paul Brass and Aluminum and by Northern Iron and Machine Foundry, ensure the same right to clean air for their children.

This article was signed by the following parents of children who attend the Círculo de Amigos Child Care Center: Mike Alberti, Bridget Bergin, Desiree Dantona, Amy Fairgrieve, Allison Lind, Katie Nordenson and Paul Strain.