Health Dept Tours Recycling Plant As Cancer Cluster Concern Grows
MIAMI (CBSMiami) — Is the King Metal Recycling Plant exposing nearby residents to cancer?
That's what county inspectors and County Commissioners Jean Monestime and Barbara Jordan are trying to determine.
The commissioners toured the facility, located at 8600 NW 36th Avenue.
Nearby residents are concerned the plant in their neighborhood, which has registered eight cases of cancer with the health department, is connected to this "cancer cluster".
"I'm one of those that suffer with respiratory problems and I have a feeling that the plant -operation has caused part of my problem," said Dinet Galop-McCoy, a neighbor who lives a block away from the plant.
The health department and other environmental agencies are just beginning their research on the issue. They said right now its too early to tell if there is a direct connection between cancer and the King Metal Recycling Plant.
But some neighbors like Mertle Ford said they don't plant to stick around for the year long investigation.
"I object to have to move," said Ford. "Tomorrow I gotta go to Broward and look for me another house…I've been here 30 years…I'm not gonna breathe these poisons. I've been breathing them for 30 years I probably already have cancer."
The county issued a cease and desist order prohibiting the plant for operating while they make changes such as erecting a wall around the entire plant.
