Code enforcement officials in Camden have ordered the operators of a recycling facility that caught fire last month to suspend operations immediately.
The May 29 fire, which EMR company officials said was likely sparked by a lithium battery, burned for more than two hours and sent thick smoke across the area before firefighters brought it under control.
It marked at least the 13th fire at the Waterfront South facility since 2020, according to city officials.
The Department of Code Enforcement issued the cease-operations order, citing “public nuisance conditions,” effective Thursday, June 4, according to a spokesperson. The suspension affects the business’s “junkyard license” and includes its shredding operations.
“The resulting smoke, airborne discharge of hazardous materials, noise and overall disruption caused by the fire created a condition that is harmful, offensive or obstructive to the reasonable use and enjoyment of property and constitute an emergency endangering the health and safety of Camden city residents,” according to the notice the NBC10 Investigators obtained.
EMR employees can continue to remove previously processed recycling materials and work to prevent future fires amid the notice, documents said. Company leaders halted shredding operations the day of the fire, they said.
“This incident is a reminder of the serious and growing challenge posed by lithium-ion batteries being improperly disposed of and finding their way into recyclable materials,” an EMR spokesperson said in a statement on May 29. “EMR USA continues to urge New Jersey and federal authorities to establish clear, enforceable regulations governing lithium battery disposal. This is a national issue that calls for national solutions and we remain committed to working with regulators and policymakers to protect our workers, our neighbors and our communities.”
City and county leaders, including Mayor Victor Carstarphen and Camden County Commissioner Jeffrey Nash, have called on state and federal officials to permanently shut down the facility.
Another fire on Feb. 21, 2025, burned for more than 12 hours after igniting a two-story pile of scrap that was supposed to be broken down into smaller pieces. That fire forced nearby residents to evacuate and remain out of the area for weeks.
In January, the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office filed a lawsuit against EMR, saying the repeat fires “filled nearby streets with smoke and air pollution, creating an ongoing public nuisance that has severely harmed the health and well-being of Camden’s residents.”
In March, another fire broke out on an EMR-operated barge carrying scrap metal in the Delaware Bay near Reedy Island in New Castle County, Delaware.
Representatives for EMR did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the suspension.
The city of Camden will re-evaluate the order in July.