No Hazardous Waste at the new Jordan Downs 3Acre Site

In December 2002, an explosion occurred at S&W Atlas Iron and Metal Company, Inc. (Atlas), a recycling facility located adjacent to Jordan High School in the Watts community of Los Angeles. While cutting up old military ordnance, one large shell casing that was improperly decommissioned exploded, hit another shell that detonated and landed near the baseball field, in front of a portable classroom at Jordan High School. Fortunately, there were no injuries. In response to a request from the Watts Neighborhood Council(WattsNC) and the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), the Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) investigated contaminant migration from the Atlas facility and subsequently under took cleanup of the baseball field at Jordan High School.DTSC investigated the Atlas facility, where automobile engines and various metal parts were brought to the facility for dismantling prior to recycling. Since the 1940's, Atlas had placed non-recyclable debris in two large waste piles, which were located directly behind the fence separating Atlas from the Jordan High School baseball field. DTSC Endangerment Determination in May 2004, requiring a removal action at the school baseball field. The school district restricted access to the baseball field by fencing it off to prevent any direct contact by students with contaminated soils. When LAUSD had no funds available for the required cleanup at the school, DTSC identified cleanup funds, developed a scope of work, went through a bidding process, and selected a qualified contractor to conduct the cleanup work under DTSC's oversight. DTSC's public participation staff worked with LAUSD to inform the faculty, The Watts Neighborhood and the Watts community about the investigation and cleanup.DTSC oversaw a time-critical removal action at the school baseball field, conducted between June 21 and July 5, 2004 when the school was closed for a two-week summer break. This expedited cleanup was necessary in order to prevent exposure to students and school staff, and to avoid impacts to normal school operations.During excavation activities, DTSC discovered additional areas with burn ash and arsenic contamination, requiring expansion of the cleanup. DTSC's contractor completed all field activities in accordance with the approved Removal Action Workplan on July 2, 2004, including: site preparation; waste soil excavation, transportation, and disposal; fill material supply, grading, and compaction; restoration activities, including repair of irrigation lines, soil replacement, and baseball diamond area restoration. Excavation depth in many areas across the baseball field went from two feet, as originally projected, to six feet below grade, until confirmation sampling came back "clean". Approximately 2,000 tons of hazardous waste soils were shipped offsite for proper disposal. On July 6, 2004, the Jordan High School campus reopened with a safe, restored baseball field.The cleanup stemmed from a June 2004 civil complaint that DTSC filed in the Los Angeles Superior Court, seeking removal of hazardous waste,cleanup of soil contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and metals from the site and the adjacent high school.In 2006, Atlas removed and disposed of hazardous waste piles on site, overseen by U.S. EPA's emergency response team. Work on the final phase of the clean up began in May and was completed.The civil case required Atlas to pay DTSC $350,000 dollars, $210.000 as reimbursement for costs incurred by DTSC in removing contaminated soil from the Jordan High School sports field.The three-acre facility, in operation since 1949, purchases and prepares metals – iron, steel, aluminum, copper, lead and zinc – for recycling. It is located at 10019 South Alameda Street in South Los Angeles.The cleanup stemmed from a June 2004 civil complaint that DTSC filed in the Los Angeles Superior Court, seeking removal of hazardous waste and cleanup of soil contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and metals from the site and the adjacent high school.