City Council Agenda Report
Meeting Date: May 7, 2024
From: Freddie Agyin, Director of Health and Environmental Control Department: Health and Environmental Control
Submitted by: Veronica Petrosyan, Deputy Director of Health and Environmental Control
Subject
California Department of Toxic Substances Control Update on Exide Related Remediation Recommendation
No action required by City Council. This is a presentation only.
Background
The former Exide facility in Vernon operated as a lead acid battery recycling plant for approximately 90 years until its oversight agency, the State’s Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC), ordered its closure in 2015. DTSC learned that Exide’s management of hazardous waste was unsafe, resulting in lead contamination of nearby soil. The facility recycled lead-bearing scrap materials from spent lead-acid batteries to produce marketable lead ingots.
The battery recycling operation of the facility produced a host of hazardous wastes, including lead, cadmium, arsenic, and volatile organic compounds, which contaminated the facility site and the properties in the surrounding communities. Exposure to high levels of these chemicals increases the risk of cancer, breathing diseases, and learning problems. In 2015, DTSC ordered the closure of the facility and approved a closure plan with on-site and off-site corrective actions.
The closure of the facility and remediation of impacted properties in the surrounding communities started in 2018 and is ongoing. The City Council has received periodic updates on the status of the facility closure and remediation activities.
On May 7, 2024, the DTSC will provide an update on the status of the closure and remediation activities.
Fiscal Impact
There is no fiscal impact associated with this report.
Attachments
1. DTSC Presentation – Exide Facility Update