Northern Iron is a large industrial foundry adjacent to residential homes in a low-income, racially diverse neighborhood on the Eastside of St. Paul. It melts up to 30 tons of metal in a day, with operations that release heavy metals, fine particulates, and toxic gases.
Eastside families have had to live with this pollution for too long. For over a decade, Northern Iron has operated illegally with unpermitted equipment. Recent stack testing and modeling revealed significant air quality violations from these operations. Northern Iron still does not have an amended permit today because, according to the state, it refuses to provide information needed to process its permit.
The most visible pollution is a fine black soot that’s collecting on – and inside – people’s homes. Testing showed that the soot contains the same heavy metals found in samples taken inside the foundry.
Now, in a victory for the community, state regulators are finally holding Northern Iron accountable. But Northern Iron is fighting them at every turn.
Eastside residents are tired of living in this foundry’s shadow. This website is created by and for Eastsiders to make our voices heard and rally our allies.
Enough is enough. It’s time to stop Northern Iron.
The Northern Iron foundry is an industrial facility on the Eastside of St. Paul. It spans almost an entire block on Phalen Boulevard, at the intersection with Forest Street.
Northern Iron is next to residential homes, a grocery store, a gym, and a dialysis clinic. It’s upwind of multiple parks and schools.
A foundry melts metal and molds it into new objects. The Northern Iron foundry melts up to 30 tons of metal a day, pours it into molds, and finishes the product by grinding or blasting off debris.
Northern Iron makes molds out of silica sand mixed with resins. Northern Iron’s current permit allows it to process over 100,000 tons of sand per year.
The parts Northern Iron produces weigh up to 250 pounds. Northern Iron has advertised that it produces parts for use in the oil and gas drilling, locomotive, and construction equipment industries.
Foundry processes release particulates and metals into the air, including carcinogens and neurotoxins. In 2024, state regulators determined that Northern Iron had been releasing lead and particulate matter above legal limits.
Lead: Northern Iron the highest stationary source of lead emissions in Ramsey County. There is no safe level of exposure.
Particulate matter: Small particulates, such as PM10 or PM2.5, can get into human lungs and cause irritation. Particulates can also carry lead and other hazardous metals from foundry processes. These can include manganese, arsenic, mercury, beryllium, cadmium, chromium, cobalt, nickel, and selenium.
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs): VOCs include a variety of chemicals that may have short- and long-term adverse health effects. Foundries are suspected to emit toxic VOCs, but these gases are usually not measured because special equipment is required.
Other pollutants from Northern Iron include carbon monoxide, greenhouse gases, nitrogen dioxide, and sulfur dioxide.