Montreal officials removed the operating permits for American Iron & Metal (AIM) to protect local air quality. This action addresses years of persistent non-compliance at the company's Montréal-Est scrapyard.

Data from the city revealed that emissions of particulate matter, arsenic, and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) consistently exceeded permitted limits at the site boundary.

City authorities requested a plan to meet municipal bylaw 2001-10 requirements in May 2025, but the company failed to reach compliance. Although an extensive fire, likely ignited by a lithium battery, recently triggered public health alerts and temporary lockdowns of nearby medical facilities, the permit removal targets the company's long-term pollution record rather than the fire itself.