GAF’s shingle plant, nestled on the Mississippi River’s west bank, has begun its decommissioning process. (Luis de Leon)
After decades of operation, the GAF asphalt shingle plant that sits on the Mississippi River’s west bank near the Lowry Avenue bridge has ceased production. The plant provided jobs to Minnesotans but also courted controversy due to its alleged pollution.
The update was confirmed by a GAF spokesperson, who in part said in a statement, “To best position GAF for continued long-term growth, we are strategically investing in the manufacturing sites that have the most significant advantages in scale and capability to meet our customers’ needs. As part of this effort, we have made the difficult decision to close our Minneapolis facility. We are grateful to our employees for their contributions to the business and are committed to assisting those impacted through this transition.”
The spokesperson added that production on the site has already ceased and that they’ve begun the decommissioning process, “…which will be conducted in accordance with all regulatory and remediation requirements.”
The statement, however, did not confirm how many people may lose their jobs because of the closure. According to reporting from Patch, citing a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) letter submitted to the State Rapid Response Team, 120 workers would be laid off as a result.
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, who recognized GAF for reducing air emissions in 2022, confirmed that it was aware the facility would end operations. A spokesperson explained in a statement that the facility currently holds a non-expiring air permit that the MPCA updated in 2005 as well as an industrial wastewater permit that the MPCA reissued in 2012. The MPCA last inspected the facility in March 2024.
“The facility’s permits will remain in effect until Building Materials Manufacturing voids them with the permanent closing of the facility,” the statement read in part. “In the meantime, we will continue to monitor the facility’s operations, emissions, and discharges to ensure the health and safety of nearby residents.”
For years, residents living near and around the facility have seen it as an environmental hazard, alleging severe impacts to public health. The Northeaster has previously reported on neighbor concerns and the efforts to regulate and monitor the facility.
In 2016, a study funded and coordinated by the Bottineau Neighborhood Association, along with the help of public health experts, indicated a correlation between the facility and rates of deaths from cancer and asthma in the surrounding neighborhoods.
Upon the study’s publication, research coordinator Tonye Sylvanus said that causation was difficult to definitively prove, but that the study gave them 95% confidence in their research. GAF, at the time the study was published, denied the conclusion that they contributed to any negative health effects on its neighbors.
The announcement of the closure of the facility has been welcome news for neighbors — but with a caveat.
“It’s sad that it has taken this long,” Mariam Slayhi, President of Bottineau Neighborhood Association, said in a Feb. 11 phone interview. “We paid a serious price.”
Slayhi said efforts to regulate the facility started long before she was president — as far back as the early 1990s. However, she iterated that she was proud of her neighbors who came together to advocate for change, and believes this shows the power of grassroots organization.
“I think communities are complex, and yet we have a longstanding ability to gather and work together to get things done when they’re hard,” Slayhi said.
In a press release reacting to the closure of the plant, Roxxanne O’Brien, longtime North Minneapolis resident and community organizer, expressed happiness about the latest development.
“I’ve been working with our Northeast neighbors who have been consistent leaders on this,” O’Brien’s statement read in part. “GAF has many other toxic sites in the country like Dallas, Texas and we want justice for those communities too!”
As for the company, the statement quoted earlier in this article closed by saying GAF has been an active supporter of community organizations.
“We are proud of the role we have played in Minneapolis and the employees who have worked hard to produce the roofing products to protect thousands of homes over the years.”