State lawmakers plan oversight hearings to investigate how California handles toxic soil from old industrial, military and other cleanup sites. These wastes are contaminated with lead, petroleum hydrocarbons, the infamous DDT pesticide, and more.

A CalMatters study last month revealed that companies and government agencies regularly dump contaminated soil into landfills in Arizona and Utah. California requires that waste be sent to a specialized hazardous waste disposal facility.

Two of the most frequently used landfills are near Native American reservations in Arizona. Spotty environmental record.

California state and local government agencies primarily oversee or directly manage cleanup projects that dispose of waste outside the state. California’s own hazardous waste watchdog, the Toxic Substances Control Administration, is one of the largest dumpers outside of the state, and information recently provided by the agency shows that despite public exposure, toxic waste continues to grow. in Arizona.

Governor Gavin Newsom has established himself as a national leader on environmental issues. His office was unable to respond to requests for comment before or after CalMatters’ initial report.

The yet-to-be-scheduled hearings were planned to examine various hazardous waste issues, but the chairman of the state Senate’s Environmental Quality Committee said it would also look into out-of-state dumping. rice field.

“This is a real concern,” said Sen. Ben Allen, a Democrat from Redondo Beach. I think everyone feels that they shouldn’t be sent to other states or countries that are less strict.”

CalMatters reports that California businesses and government agencies have disposed of more than 660,000 tons of toxic soil in landfills in Arizona and nearly 1 million tons in landfills in Utah since 2018. , according to data from the state’s Hazardous Waste Tracking System. This includes more than 105,000 tons from the state cleanup of lead-contaminated soil around the old Exide battery recycling facility in Los Angeles County.

Out-of-state landfills are a cheaper option than California’s two hazardous waste disposal facilities in Kings and Kern counties.

The Toxic Substances Control Administration has taken most of Exide’s residential cleaning waste to the South Yuma County Landfill. Arizona’s environmental regulator announced in 2021 thatimminent serious threatInvestigations found windblown debris, large amounts of “germs” (flies and birds), and groundwater containing high levels of chromium (a metal that can be harmful to humans and the environment). Did.

The landfill has made amendments to resolve these and other violations, according to Arizona regulators.

Ex. The trash has been going to that state. From Jan. 25 to Feb. 10, he shipped 52 hazardous wastes from Exide housecleaning to the Yuma landfill, according to figures provided by the Toxic Substances Control Agency.

In Arizona, a lawmaker told CalMatters he didn’t know California was dumping so much hazardous waste into state landfills, saying he was “extremely concerned.”

“Arizona is not a dumping ground and carrying California’s hazardous waste is so close to Arizona’s agricultural heartland that the Colorado River poses problems no matter how many precautions are taken,” said the Arizona legislator. said Mariana Sandoval of The District, which includes the surrounding area of ​​the Southern Yuma County Landfill. “I hope our new governor will take a closer look at this…and encourage California to find landfills in their state for their waste.”

New Plan for California Toxic Waste

Officials mostly pointed to the 2021 law as to whether Californians can expect major policy changes demand the state to create a new one Hazardous Waste Management PlanAs part of the process, the Toxic Substances Control Administration will release a report in March looking at how much hazardous waste the state is generating and how it is being disposed of.

“The (hazardous waste management) plan will reduce hazardous waste generation, manage more waste in the state, and address concerns such as the impact of hazardous waste on disadvantaged communities,” the ministry said in a statement. We propose strategies to deal with

The proposed plan does not expire until spring 2025.

California Environmental Protection Secretary Yana Garcia was asked how the state could justify continuing to dump hazardous waste in out-of-state landfills next to Native American reservations. rice field.

“The hazardous waste challenges we face across the nation have been created for decades. We are fully committed to addressing this with urgency, and our priority is to invest in finding solutions to that end.”

She said the bill, which led to more stable funding for the hazardous waste planning process and the department, “has improved our ability to address this and other toxic waste issues. Regulatory Oversight of DTSC” Demanding the necessary research and public engagement to strengthen public health and reach consensus on solutions puts us in the right direction, but the path to achieving improvements on the ground involves a multitude of A true partnership with our stakeholders and how we produce, treat and dispose of hazardous waste across the board.”

San Joaquin Valley Hazardous Waste Landfill

Regulators, environmental advocates and lawmakers say the issue is complex and any solution is likely to be controversial.

California has limited ability to regulate interstate commerce. State regulators said there wasn’t much they could do to stop private companies from taking waste across the border.

California has only two hazardous waste landfills, both in the San Joaquin Valley. Kettleman Hills Facility Kings County and Buttonwillow Landfill Facility in Kern County.

On paper, the site appears to have enough space to take in the contaminated soil. Last year, Jennifer Andrews, a spokesperson for WM (previously known as Waste Management Inc.), which operates the Kettleman Hills facility, told CalMatters that the facility is “the state’s hazardous waste disposal facility.” We have enough capacity to meet our needs.”

“We also have ample space to meet[the Toxic Substances Control Administration]waste needs for many years to come, provided the authorities allow a new disposal unit at our site.”

However, two landfill sites are controversial. Both have been the subject of numerous regulatory violations over the years, and proponents have long protested against sites close to communities of color. Toxic Substances Control Agency in 2014 approved the extension Kettleman Hills encouraged environmental justice and community groups to file civil rights complaints, according to records.

Bradley Angel, Executive Director of Green Action for Health and Environmental Justice, was one of the groups that filed complaints and eventually settlement agreement State records include provisions for more health assessments and environmental monitoring.

“They need other alternatives and the reality is that I don’t think they will build another hazardous waste landfill,” Angel said.

He said he had “no political appetite.”

In fact, the Toxic Substances Control Agency seemed to agree as well. 2017 report We explored ways to reduce hazardous waste, such as treating contaminated soil on-site rather than excavating it. The report cites “difficulties in reaching agreement on the location of new facilities” as leading to a focus on strategies to reduce the amount of hazardous waste generated.

In other words, if you can’t increase the number of places that accept hazardous waste because no one wants it in your backyard, you better find ways to reduce it.

Remediation of hazardous soil

California’s efforts to address a long history of environmental harm at older industrial and military installations produce hundreds of thousands of tons of toxic soil each year.

The Toxic Substances Control Agency is seeking to “remediate pollution created over decades by unscrupulous private sector actors. Now, does that mean they should be dumped in Arizona?” ?” asked Senator Allen.

The senator said his committee will hold an oversight hearing for the Office of Toxic Substances Control later this year. Other topics may include a recent report from the Los Angeles Times suggesting the state has not ensured properties around his Exide facility are suitable. Cleanup of lead-contaminated soil.

“There are no easy answers here. But that doesn’t mean accepting the status quo,” Allen said.

Of course, other states may also take action. Oregon adopted a rule in her late 1980s that effectively prohibited California from dumping hazardous waste into the state’s regular landfills. Nevada has similar rules. (California has recently disposed of large amounts of contaminated soil at its Nevada facility, shipping records show, but the site is designed and licensed to handle hazardous waste.)

Lawmakers from districts that include the area around the South Yuma landfill said Arizona legislation to limit California’s dumping is possible.

“Nobody wants that in the backyard,” Sandoval said. “Obviously California doesn’t want it in their backyard. That’s why they’re bringing it to us.”

Utah lawmakers reached out to CalMatters but did not respond to a request for comment. That state regulator recently indicated its intention to deny a permit for a landfill site on the banks of the Great Salt Lake that CalMatters reported plans to use contaminated soil in California. CalMatters reported in January that the company behind the project submitted an economic analysis to state regulators, calling toxic soil a “unique market opportunity created by California law.” .

of Proposed Permission Denial indicates that there is already enough landfill capacity to handle Utah’s waste needs.