Sept 24, 2025; Augusta, Georgia, USA; One of the furnaces is lit at the Aurubis first melt ceremony at Aurubis Richmond. Aurubis is a metal recycling plant. Mandatory Credit: Katie Goodale - Augusta Chronicle/USA TODAY NETWORK
San Diego, California – A recycling business in Barrio Logan is facing a public nuisance lawsuit from the City of San Diego, with officials alleging that the company has been operating without proper approvals and expanding into activities that are too close to homes.
The complaint, filed Wednesday by the City Attorney’s Office, targets SA Recycling, a scrap metal facility that the city says quietly grew into something much larger. According to the lawsuit, the business went beyond its original description and began handling large-scale recycling collection and processing, along with auto wrecking and dismantling — operations the city contends are not allowed in the residentially zoned area where the business sits.
City Attorney Heather Ferbert argued that this isn’t just a matter of paperwork. “Companies that disregard the city’s laws and public health protections put entire neighborhoods at risk,” Ferbert said in a statement. “No one should have to live next to unpermitted heavy industrial operations that pollute the air, damage property, and harm families.”
Residents living near the site have voiced those concerns for years. Complaints to the city describe everything from air pollution and dust to persistent noise and other conditions they say feel unsafe. Inspectors who visited the facility say they also found evidence of unpermitted grading, electrical work, and construction.
The lawsuit seeks to shut down the disputed operations through a court injunction. The city is also asking for civil penalties of up to $2,500 for every day each violation occurred — a figure that could quickly climb into the hundreds of thousands of dollars.
City Councilmember Vivian Moreno, who represents Barrio Logan, said the case reflects a deeper fairness issue. “Barrio Logan is home to many small business owners who contribute greatly to the community and follow city permitting requirements,” Moreno said. “These permits exist to ensure businesses operate safely and responsibly. When companies ignore those rules, they put the entire neighborhood at risk.”
Representatives for SA Recycling did not respond to requests for comment on Wednesday, leaving the company’s side of the story unclear for now.
For residents of Barrio Logan, a historically working-class neighborhood that has long lived with the push and pull of industry and housing, the case is another reminder of how environmental and zoning fights play out on the ground. While the city’s lawsuit may move slowly through the courts, it speaks directly to ongoing concerns about who bears the cost of development and whether neighborhoods like Barrio Logan get the same protections as wealthier parts of San Diego.
