Four poor air quality complaints filed after smoky California metal recycling plant fire

The Bay Area Air Quality Management District (Air District) received four air pollution complaints from residents in greater Sunnyvale.Photo byBAAQMD

On the afternoon of May 22, 2024, a fire broke out at the Sims Metal Management facility located at 699 Seaport Boulevard in Redwood City. The facility, known for processing and recycling scrap metal, appliances, and cars, saw flames emerge from an unshredded scrap metal stockpile around 3:00 p.m.

The Redwood City Fire Department quickly responded, arriving at the scene by 3:05 p.m. However, the fire had already produced large plumes of dark smoke, which were captured on live news feeds and reported by various media outlets.

As the fire raged, winds blowing from the west/northwest at speeds of 10 to 12 mph carried the smoke down the western periphery of San Francisco Bay. This smoke, laden with fine particulate matter (PM2.5), affected residents in several South Bay cities, including Sunnyvale, Cupertino, Mountain View, Saratoga, and extending as far as Los Gatos. Data from the PurpleAir sensor network confirmed elevated PM2.5 levels, with the peak concentration occurring between 4:00 and 5:00 p.m.

The Bay Area Air Quality Management District (Air District) received four air pollution complaints from residents in the greater Sunnyvale area, highlighting the fire's impact on local air quality. The Redwood City Fire Department managed to declare the fire extinguished by 5:45 p.m.