Santa Ana : City Yard to Be Tested for Paint Thinner Effects

A local company will conduct tests to ensure that paint thinner deposited at a city yard during cleanup after city painting projects doesn’t pose any health hazard.

The City Council recently approved a $15,000 contract with Woodward-Clyde Consultants to examine the yard, at 730 E. Warner Ave. Company spokesman George Linkletter said it will take no more than two months to make the tests and prepare a report for the city.

City paint machines used to be brought to the yard at the end of workdays to be cleaned out with paint thinner, which was sprayed onto the yard’s asphalt surface or into a small pit, said maintenance supervisor Larry Christian. He said the practice was stopped about four months ago and the city has been conducting preliminary tests since then.

Christian said there have been no health problems reported and there have been no signs of a hazard from the thinner. He said that since the change in procedure, the city has purchased new paint machines that do not require such cleaning.