Judge shuts down recycling plant accused of spewing toxins onto L.A. school
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A South L.A. recycling plant accused of spewing toxic waste and lead onto the grounds of a nearby high school was ordered shut down on Monday, a major victory for community activists and student groups who have been fighting against the facility for two decades.
L.A. County Superior Court Judge Terry Bork said S&W Atlas Iron & Metal can no longer accept or process new materials, “essentially shutting down operations,” according to Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. Nathan Hochman.
The move came days after Bork jailed the plant’s owners, Matthew and Gary Weisenberg, for repeated violations of a court order.
The plant and its owners were charged in 2023 with 23 counts of failing to properly dispose of hazardous waste and two counts of failing to minimize the risk of exposure or fire. The Watts plant has operated next door to Jordan High School for about 70 years. Prosecutors allege the plant has exposed students at Jordan High School to several explosions, metal projectiles and lead levels nearly 75 times higher than what federal regulators deem safe.
“For 70 years, as alleged in court, Atlas Metals has collected all the profits, and the children at Jordan High School have borne all the risks. This will not stand,” Hochman said in a statement. “Under my watch, environmental crimes will be punished to the full extent of the law, and those who threaten public safety, especially those who harm children, will be held accountable.”
The owners of S&W Atlas Iron & Metal, accused of exposing Watts high school students to toxic waste, will spend at least the weekend in jail after a judge ruled they violated a court order by having flammable materials on their site.
In an email to The Times, defense attorney Benjamin Gluck said the company “will continue its efforts to be a good neighbor and member of the community.”
“We disagree with the District Attorney’s characterization of Atlas, but we welcome direction from the Court and will comply with it,” Gluck wrote.
After an explosion on the Atlas grounds left Jordan students jarred on the first day of school last year, a judge set bail conditions for the Weisenbergs that limited the types of canisters the plant could process.
But an investigation by the California Department of Toxic Substances found containers of acetylene, a highly flammable gas, on site earlier this month. Prosecutors asked Bork to rescind the Weisenbergs’ bail, and Bork agreed.
During a hearing Monday, Bork set new bail conditions mandating weekly inspections of the plant by investigators from the Department of Toxic Substances. If the plant wants to reopen, it must seek approval from Bork to do so, according to the district attorney’s office spokeswoman.
“For years, Atlas Metals has put our community at risk without a second thought. Today, the judge showed them that they are not above the law,” Genesis Cruz, a former Jordan High School student, said in a statement. “No more business as usual. Watts has paid the price for their greed for too long, and this decision shows that their days of running unchecked are coming to an end.”
Bork set bail for Matthew Weisenberg, 37, at $1 million. His father, Gary Weisenberg, 78, was ordered held in lieu of $100,000. It was not immediately clear whether either man had posted bond as of Monday afternoon.
The Weisenbergs are due back in court on March 28.
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