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 the molten metal into molds, and produces parts that weigh up to 250 pounds.
Northern Iron makes its molds out of silica sand mixed with resins. Northern Iron’s most recent permit allowed it to process over 100,000 tons of sand per year.
Northern Iron has advertised that it produces parts for 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.