SACRAMENTO CA (10/20/2021) – After finding evidence that toxic material traveled off-site, the state Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) ordered a metal shredding facility on Terminal Island at the Port of Los Angeles to stop polluting, determine the extent of contamination and clean it up.
DTSC, the state department responsible for protecting residents and the environment from hazardous chemicals, is requiring SA Recycling LLC to investigate the extent of soil, groundwater and ocean sediment contamination. The order also names the prior operator, Simsmetal West LLC.
“We have a responsibility to protect people, their communities and the environment from companies and industries that pollute,” said DTSC Director Meredith Williams. “DTSC is continuing to take actions such as this one to protect all Californians from potential exposure to harmful materials stemming from the operation of metal recycling activities – especially in neighborhoods already suffering from multiple sources of pollution.”
The facility shreds used vehicles, appliances and other scrap to recycle the metal and has been operating since 1962. Most recently, DTSC issued a summary of violations against the facility in September after its scientists found metal shredder residue called light fibrous material on the pavement, in pavement cracks, on equipment and inside and over storm drains at a neighboring facility, Pasha Stevedoring & Terminals, L.P. Samples of the material exceeded hazardous waste levels for lead, cadmium, and zinc. DTSC ordered the company to curtail those releases and to develop a plan to clean up the contamination at the nearby facility.
Before that, violations were noted in 2017, when inspectors found treated metal shredder residue trapped in an outside wall of their aggregate processing building and elevated levels of zinc, copper, and lead in a huge onsite pile. In 2018, metal shredder residue was detected in the adjacent Yusen Terminal yard and on New Dock Street just to the south. The Yusen samples were collected within 20 feet of the harbor. In addition, a 2019 inspection found elevated levels of copper, lead, and zinc at various locations on site.
DTSC is taking this action to protect the nearby harbor and people who live in the area. This is the latest in a string of enforcement actions DTSC has taken against metal recyclers and shredders in California, many of them in areas that suffer from inordinate amounts of pollution.
Under the corrective action order, the respondents must meet certain deadlines to take action to stop releases and submit required investigation reports to DTSC, including a workplan to determine the extent of contamination and for cleaning up the contamination they find. DTSC plans to notify the surrounding community so residents can become involved in any proposed cleanup plan.
Contact: Sanford (Sandy) Nax (916) 416-4309 Sanford.Nax@dtsc.ca.gov