[CPEO-BIF] "Scientists begin search, testing for dangerous pollutants near City of Industry [California]battery plant"

[Lenny Siegel <lsiegel@cpeo.org>]

Scientists begin search, testing for dangerous pollutants near City of Industry battery plant

By Steve Scauzillo
San Gabriel Valley Tribune (CA)
May 31, 2016

INDUSTRY - Scientists carrying trowels, buckets, X-ray guns and electronic measuring devices fanned out from the Quemetco Inc. battery recycling plant on Tuesday, sampling soil from sidewalks and planters near the lead-smelting plant.

The mandatory testing was overseen by the state Department of Toxic Substances Control as part of a new round of sampling to determine if the plant is releasing unsafe levels of lead, which has been shown to harm children’s health at low exposures, and arsenic, a known human carcinogen.

The DTSC will spend the next two months sampling soil from public rights of way, creeks that feed into the San Gabriel River, 27 commercial properties and 300 homes in Industry and north Hacienda Heights, the agency announced. The reason for the extenuated testing is because Quemetco has released high levels of these toxic metals numerous times in the past, in 1991, 2004, and 2012 and each time, they were ordered to perform clean up, said Jose Diaz, DTSC project manager.

…

For the entire article, see
http://www.dailynews.com/environment-and-nature/20160531/scientists-begin-search-testing-for-dangerous-pollutants-near-city-of-industry-battery-plant?
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Lenny Siegel
Executive Director, Center for Public Environmental Oversight
a project of the Pacific Studies Center
278-A Hope St., Mountain View, CA 94041
Voice: 650/961-8918 or 650/969-1545
Fax: 650/961-8918
<lsiegel@cpeo.org>
http://www.cpeo.org

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