Regulation of Toxics Is Lacking, Panel Told

A county official told a state Senate committee that there are thousands of unidentified companies in Los Angeles County that work with hazardous materials and need to be regulated to guard against toxic spills.

Ralph Lopez, who oversees the county health department’s hazardous materials inspections unit, said Thursday that there are 12,800 companies in the county licensed to handle, store or use hazardous substances.

He said a recent review uncovered 5,600 additional companies, which are scheduled to be licensed in the next 30 days.

New Discoveries

But Lopez estimated there may be as many as 11,000 more companies that slipped through the cracks and escaped notice by county officials.

“In the last 10 days I have discovered that there are possibly 2,300 other business permits (for companies) with facilities or generators (of toxic waste) that are not even known to us,” Lopez said.

Lopez testified before the state Senate Toxics and Public Safety Management Committee, which held a hearing into the circumstances of the toxic spills that occurred at a Grow Group Inc. plant in Commerce over the Labor Day weekend, forcing the evacuation of as many as 28,000 residents.

The hearing, chaired by State Sen. Art Torres (D-Los Angeles), was held at Commerce City Hall.

17 Inspectors

Lopez, whose department has 17 inspectors to monitor companies dealing with toxic materials, has asked the county Board of Supervisors to hire 28 additional toxic waste inspectors.

Los Angeles County Assistant Fire Chief Michael D. Aviani also testified that his department needs more equipment--hazardous materials units--to deal with toxic waste spills.

The Fire Department has three hazardous materials units, he said.

In closing the hearing, Torres called for residents and local officials to lobby county supervisors and Gov. George Deukmejian to “ensure that appropriate monies are made available” for enforcement and inspection programs.

In the meantime, Torres urged local governments to use public nuisance laws to compel companies to operate safely.

Public Statute Cited

“Cities and municipalities can proceed against many of these companies under a public nuisance statute that’s already readily available to them,” Torres said.

Torres and state Sen. Herschel Rosenthal (D-Los Angeles) were the only two committee members present. Assemblyman Charles Calderon (D-Montebello) participated in the hearing.

L. W. Wilde, a Grow Group executive, testified that his company has removed the volatile toxic waste from the Commerce plant.

Lopez said 245,000 pounds of hazardous waste was removed from the Grow Group plant.

On the advice of his attorney, Wilde declined to answer some of the committee’s questions because criminal charges may be filed against Grow Group in connection with the spill.