A battery recycling plant in Vernon is being told to reduce its emissions after recent tests showed it is posing a danger to as many as 110,000 people living in an area that extends from Boyle Heights to Maywood and Huntington Park.<\/p>\n
The South Coast Air Quality Management District announced late Friday that Exide Technologies, one of the largest battery recyclers in the world, must also hold public meetings later this spring to inform residents that they face an increased cancer risk and outline steps being taken to reduce it.<\/p>\n
Air district officials said Exide’s most recent assessment showed a higher cancer risk affecting a larger number of residents than any other of the more than 450 regulated facilities in Southern California over the 25-year history of a program to monitor toxic air contaminants. The primary contaminant in this case was arsenic.<\/p>\n
There has been “nothing close to this … never,” said Sam Atwood, spokesman for the air district.<\/p>\n
In a statement, Exide officials said they planned to work with the district on emissions reductions “that we expect will meet or exceed” requirements.<\/p>\n
“Exide takes its environmental responsibilities seriously,” the statement said, adding that the facility has cut its emissions of lead “extensively” over the last three years and plans additional modifications to reduce arsenic emissions.<\/p>\n
Still, Maywood City Councilman Felipe Aguirre said he was furious at the news.<\/p>\n
“I can’t believe it. It’s incredible,” he said, adding that he has long suspected that the working-class immigrant residents in his town suffer more than their fair share of health problems because of polluting facilities in the area. “People are very sick.”<\/p>\n