EMR to Invest $6.7 million into Camden Waterfront South After Toxic Fire
Article by Jewel Justice and Frank Santos
Two months after a massive junkyard fire at its Camden facility, metal recycling firm EMR says it will invest $6.7 million into the community.
The February 2025 fire sent thick smoke across South Jersey and Philadelphia, forcing more than 100 Camden residents to evacuate due to harmful toxins in the air.
On Thursday, April 17, 2025, Camden Mayor Victor Carstarphen and city officials conducted a press briefing at a community center to discuss the agreement.
“[What we’ve been doing] up to this point is having the conversations and engagement with EMR, holding them accountable, putting the fire under [them], letting them know that we’ve been told stuff was said in the past that ain’t happen, but that’s not going to happen now,” Mayor Carstarphen said. “Whatever investment, whatever the commitment you’re going to make, it’s going to be a direct impact [on] the growth of this area because this area has been through a lot.”
According to Camden County officials, the funds will cover a new fire-suppression system at EMR’s South Front Street facility, a reimbursement to the city fire department, and an overall investment in Camden’s Waterfront South area.
EMR will commit $4.5 million in 2025 and $450,000 annually over the next five years, according to the county.
The fire in February was not EMR’s first, but it is the largest to date.
According to Camden County officials, there have been six fires at the facility since 2016.
EMR claimed that February’s fire was caused by faulty lithium-ion batteries. At a council meeting on April 8, in response to EMR’s claims, the city council approved an ordinance regulating the use of lithium-ion batteries.
Assemblyman Bill Moen, who introduced legislation that would require stricter rules for handling scrap metal and hold polluters accountable, was also present at the press conference.
“We’ve sponsored a couple bills that address and attack this issue from different angles. Coupled with the settlement announced today, I think we’re going to put ourselves as a state in a much better position to regulate the industry as a whole,” Assemblyman Moen said. “The message from me to the community and certainly to the members of the state is that there’s more work to be done and we’re going to need your help to get this done in the statehouse.”
Residents and activists have long spoken out against EMR and the Camden City Council’s inaction to prevent future fires and damage to the community. They expressed their concerns that the legislation would not solve the central issue, which is that EMR is a threat to the environment and health of the community.
The mayor outlined the investment’s target initiatives on Thursday, but the question of who will serve on the board to carry them out remains unanswered. Although residents were not involved in the partnership agreement, the city council will be voting on the investment within the next 45 days.
“Everybody wants to ensure that a fire like this never happens again. We’re listening to our Waterfront South residents, and we [have taken] their concerns and questions very seriously,” Carstarphen said. “Let’s be clear: EMR is being held accountable for what happened.”
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April 17, 2025