| Nov. 3, 2006 Air quality
officials have ordered an El Monte metal parts manufacturer to take
immediate steps to further eliminate nuisance odors from its operation.
The South Coast Air Quality Management District’s Hearing Board on
Thursday ordered Gregg Industries to adopt 16 additional operating
conditions, including a switch to lower-polluting materials, to reduce odors
from its metal casting operations.
“In spite of previous enforcement actions, this company has continued to
emit pungent chemical odors into the community,” said Barry Wallerstein,
AQMD’s executive officer. “We are committed to ensuring that residents will
no longer be subject to this potential threat to their health and welfare.”
A follow-up Hearing Board hearing will be conducted during the first week
of December in El Monte to determine whether the firm has complied with
Thursday’s order. If not, AQMD’s Hearing Board could order the facility to
cease operations.
Gregg Industries, located at 10460 Hickson St. immediately adjacent to
homes and near an elementary school, makes resin molds that are in turn used
to cast metal automotive parts onsite. Residents have lodged numerous odor
complaints with AQMD during the past year, including several dozen since
August. The odors are believed to originate from volatile compounds used in
the mold manufacturing process.
This week’s Hearing Board order requires Gregg Industries to comply with
16 conditions including:
- Ceasing all mold manufacturing until the plant switches to the use of
low-polluting materials used in making molds;
- Testing and recordkeeping of all sand and resin materials used at the
facility,
- Submitting a permit application for its mold manufacturing system,
including a condition requiring the use of low-polluting materials;
- Training all employees in requirements of the abatement order, and
providing translators to train Spanish-speaking workers.
In March, AQMD’s attorneys petitioned the AQMD Hearing Board, and the
board granted, an Order of Abatement requiring Gregg Industries to comply
with 12 conditions. Those original conditions, which are still in force,
include:
- Ceasing the manufacturing of resin molds between the hours of 3 p.m.
and 9 p.m., when most residents are at home;
- Hiring a consultant to conduct daily odor monitoring;
- Preparing a proposal for odor reduction;
- Closing building openings to reduce fugitive odor emissions;
- Conducting tests to find and use lower odor-emitting materials; and
- Establishing a telephone hotline for receiving and responding to
community odor complaints.
AQMD issued one violation notice in October 2005 and a second in November
2005 as a result of numerous complaints from residents of odors from the
plant.
Although community complaints of odors from Gregg Industries diminished
somewhat earlier this year, the number and frequency of complaints increased
starting in August.
AQMD is the air pollution control agency for Orange County and major
portions of Los Angeles, San Bernardino and Riverside counties.
AQMD’s five-member Hearing Board is an independent, quasi-judicial body
that considers petitions for orders of abatement as well as variances from
air pollution regulations.
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