Lead in the Air

Industrial pollution can put lead into the air.

Sometimes it's routine (smokestack emissions).

Sometimes it's dramatic (explosions).

Because lead is a heavy metal, it doesn't stay in the air very long. Air monitoring could be helpful in figuring out where the lead from an industry has landed, but there are three problems:

Air monitors are not always turned on.
Air monitors might be looking the wrong way.
Air monitors may not be calibrated to detect lead.

The 2023 Explosion at I. Schumann is our first example

On February 21, 2023 the I. Schumann Company blew up when a kiln used to heat metals (mostly copper and brass) broke spreading molten metal around the shop floor. One side of the building blew out spreading metal, dust, and bricks around the surrounded community and sending a smoke plume high into the sky. The air monitors operated by the city of Cleveland were not turned on until the next day, so there's no record of what was emitted in the smoke and where it might have fallen. CLASH volunteers were on the scene the next day. Bricks from the factory wall were scattered along Alexander Road. They were tested and found to have over 4000 parts per million of lead (ten times the EPA standard) burned on to the surface of the bricks. CLASH volunteers took soil samples from the surrounding area and got reports of lead in excess of EPA standards. High levels were also found by a stream running behind the plant into a culvert that fed Tinker's Creek. Elevated levels were also found in soil adjacent to the horse pasture next to Thistledown Raceway.

Don't take our word for. Here are the news reports

Feb 21, 2023. Newsweek. Video Showing Moment of Ohio Metal Factory Explosion Viewed 200K Times

Feb 21, 2023. Huff Post. One Dead, 13 Others Hospitalized After Explosion At Ohio Metal Plant. “Several cars were seen crushed by flying debris outside the Bedford foundry, located southeast of Cleveland.”February 21, 2023. NPR. An explosion at an Ohio metal plant left 1 dead and 13 injured “The cause of the explosion is still unclear, but photos shared on social media and in local news reports showed debris scattered for hundreds of yards, damaged vehicles and a plume of smoke visible for miles.”

March 18, 2023 Washington Post Plant explosion leaves town with fear of lead exposure and few answers

Sep. 22, 2025 cleveland.com Industrial fire causes $2 million in damage to Cleveland metal recycling plant.

Sept 25, 2025 Vdoma. Hell on Bradley Road: Fire at Cleveland Plant Threatens City Due to Propane

Sept 22, 2025. WJW-TV via MSN Bullets fly as 80 firefighters battle blaze at River Recycling Industries on Bradley Road

Sept 24, 2025 WJW-TV via MSN Dangerous industrial fire rekindles overnight in Cleveland.

November 10, 2025 River Recycling plant to be rebuilt

River Recycling fire in September 22, 2025

Another example of an industrial explosion where lead bullets were stored when the factory River Recycling factory on Bradley Road in the Flats caught fire last year, CLASH suspects lead particles were spread in the smoke from that fire. The PD reported: "That popping sound was of bullets exploding, Norman said. A propane tank attached to a forklift also exploded. One of the things the company recycles is metal casings from bullets, owner Bill Grodin told cleveland.com and the Plain Dealer. Sometimes a gun range will collect spent bullet casings and a live round accidentally makes its way into the recycled material, he said." We're glad that no one was shot, but where did that lead go? Cleveland Health Department reports that they had no records from the fire during the 3 days of burning because the wind was blowing away from the Air Monitor. A local newsite, VDOMA reports "he Cleveland city government has so far refrained from making official statements, but sources within the administration hinted at possible investigations into the plant’s compliance with safety regulations. Meanwhile, the community demands answers. 'If there’s so much propane there, why weren’t we warned earlier?' exclaimed Maria Gonzalez, leader of the local community group. Her words reflect the broader dissatisfaction growing in the city, where industrial facilities are often located close to residential neighborhoods." Ironically just three weeks earlier when 40 shots were fired at a night club on the other end of the Flats, the Mayor had that site closed indefinitely.

Citizens test emissions from Indiana Steel Plant

May 13, 2025 Capital B Lead, Iron, and Manganese Found in Gary’s Air and Soil A two-year study tested for over 20 types of contaminants found in the area. "In 2023, researchers, Gary residents, and members of the Northern Lake County Environmental Partnership, alongside professors and students from Valparaiso University, the University of Notre Dame, Purdue University, and Hope College, began testing for contaminants. 'Knowing that there’s people in your court who want to support this work, and in a time where that doesn’t feel federally supported … I really think it just comes down to having a diverse and large group of people coming together for a common goal and sharing their opinions on what we can do to improve it, that’s really all you can do,' Belzer continued."

Jul 21, 2023 Grist. The EPA is cracking down on steel mill pollution. In Gary, Indiana, it might not be enough. " 'The EPA could have done better because we’re in a crisis,' said Gordon, who serves as the director of Brown Faces Green Spaces, a local environmental organization. 'This 15 percent reduction means nothing to the people of Gary. Our needle is all the way past the red.' ”

Canton's Republic Steel Plant poisoned adjacent neighborhoods

Nov. 16, 2023, Canton Repository Former workers at Republic Steel concerned about lead exposure, long-term health "Former Republic Steel worker Anthony Garrison describes himself as someone who's always been relatively healthy. But in March of this year, he began experiencing headaches, nausea and stomach issues. 'My blood pressure couldn’t be controlled, just all kinds of problems,' the Mineral City resident said. For the first time in his 56 years of life, he was anemic. Garrison said his primary care doctor attributed the medical problems to lead poisoning."

Dec. 2, 2022 Canton Repository Republic Steel reaches settlement to reduce Canton plant lead emissions, pay $1M penalty "CANTON ‒ Republic Steel must pay nearly a $1 million penalty and reduce lead emissions at its Canton plant as part of a proposed settlement with the Department of Justice and the Environmental Protection Agency. Republic Steel has been under scrutiny for some time that lead emissions from the Eighth Street NE plant have exceeded federal limits.

July 26, 2022. Canton Repository The 'inherently dirty' process of making leaded steel in Canton "For years, decades even, residents near Republic Steel say they've been concerned about dust and dirt spewed from the plant. Republic's use of lead has become a particular point of contention. The factory in Canton, where company headquarters are located, faces ongoing scrutiny from environmental protection agencies related to leaded steel production and emissions. Canton Health Commissioner James Adams said the installation of two air monitors along Marietta Avenue NE will begin in the coming week. They were announced at a public meeting in November and supplement a Georgetown Road NE monitor that's operated since 2017."

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