October 26, 2015
Director Craig Butler
Ohio Environmental Protection Agency
P.O. Box 1049
Columbus, Ohio 43216-1049
Dear Mr. Butler:
As Congresswoman for Ohio’s Eleventh Congressional District, I am contacting you on behalf of concerned
citizens in the City of East Cleveland. As you may be aware, Arco Recycling, Inc. is a Construction &
Demolition (C&D) debris site located on Noble Road in East Cleveland, which has been a focal point of fear
and controversy for many residents in the city since opening one year ago.
It was initially brought to my attention in June of 2015, when many residents sought my assistance in
addressing what they felt to be serious risks to their health and safety, asking for air quality testing at the
site. After contacting your office and the U.S. EPA, I was told that the site did not fall under the jurisdiction of
any regulatory agency and that testing was unlikely. However, air quality testing and materials sampling took
place over the summer and found no traces of asbestos.
While test results for asbestos may be negative, I worry that the Arco site may pose additional health and
safety risks to nearby residents that cannot be adequately reflected in an environmental report. This includes
the presence of other potential pollutants, sleeplessness due to noise pollution, dirt and soot which coats the
neighborhood homes and cars, and the constant stress brought about by the site's operation. Many area
residents have even taken to wearing surgical masks during their daily routines to prevent excessive dust
inhalation.
Aside from their health, nearby residents have also expressed concerns with the facility’s potential effect on
their home values. Arco is undoubtedly an eyesore, with no landscaping or aesthetics, a lack of any real
infrastructure, massive debris piles 15 to 20 feet from adjacent backyards, and round-the-clock heavy traffic
and activity in the open-air site. In a city already suffering from significant disinvestment and economic
turmoil, the residents of East Cleveland cannot afford to risk their health, their safety, or their peace of mind.
I urge the Ohio EPA to explore all options and take the steps necessary to ensure that Arco Recycling is in
compliance with any and all applicable regulations. I look forward to your response.
Sincerely,

Marcia L. Fudge
U.S. Member of Congress
MLF:mac
cc: Kurt Princic, Northeast District Chief, Ohio EPA
George Baker, Commissioner, Cleveland Division of Air Quality