Omaha salvage yard car shredder causes environmental concerns with residents
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Omaha salvage yard car shredder causes environmental concerns with residents
Omaha city officials say U-Pull It was operating the shredding machine without permits. The Nebraska Future Fund has told people living around the business the dust could possibly cause air and water pollution. The company is asking for an amendment in order to be in compliance with their permit. The council voted Tuesday and denied an amendment to the special use permit for U- pull It to use the shredder. The shredder will not be noisy and will not pollute the water or air, the company says.
Omaha city officials say U-Pull It was operating the shredding machine without permits and ignored city orders before finally shutting it down.
U-Pull It said it was not aware that using the machine would fall outside of its current special use permit.
Now, the company is asking for an amendment in order to be in compliance with their permit.
Meanwhile, some people who live around the business don’t want the Omaha City Council to approve the amendment.
First Alert 6 investigator reporter Mike McKnight uncovered this story last summer.
An Omaha attorney had drone footage he claimed showed the shredder turning old cars into scrap.
The Nebraska Future Fund has told people living around the business the dust could possibly cause air and water pollution.
“Yeah, we had some folks walking around handing out flyers. I found one in my mailbox, one by the mailbox, on the ground, one on my door. So they’re a little bit everywhere, so I had a chance to look at it and see what they’re all about,” said area resident Joe Holmes.
Holmes has lived in the area of 60th and Q Streets for 30 years. He said there’s already enough dust blowing around in his neighborhood.
“My wife has asthma real bad, and I mean even with the different things going on around here, it’s hard for her to come out. You add something else, it’s going to make it real difficult, so yeah, I’d just as soon not have it,” he said.
Some of Holmes’ neighbors and other concerned citizens showed up at the Omaha City Council meeting to speak against U-Pull It’s shredder.
The company’s employees and attorneys showed the council pictures of the shredder and said it will not be noisy and will not pollute the water or air.
A U-Pull It employee told the council they are an Omaha-first company and have been in Omaha for about 50 years, recycling durable goods, trucks, and automobiles.
The council voted Tuesday and denied an amendment to the special use permit for U-Pull It to use the shredder.
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