Chemicals Seized at Burbank Company in Toxic-Waste Raid

The Los Angeles County district attorney’s office seized chemical samples and business records from a Burbank chrome-plating company Thursday after city officials identified the firm as the source of toxic wastes allegedly dumped illegally into the sewers.

John Lynch, head of the office’s environmental crimes division, said he will review evidence obtained under a search warrant Thursday to determine whether he will file criminal charges against Dynamic Plating Corp. at 1102 Isabel St.

Lynch said the search culminated a five-month investigation in which Burbank city agencies used a liquid monitoring device to test chemical contents of sewers in the small industrial neighborhood southeast of the intersection of Burbank and Victory boulevards.

The tests disclosed traces of heavy metals, including chromium, cadmium, nickel and a solvent called 1,1,1-trichloroethane, Burbank officials said.

In an affidavit filed in support of the search warrant, Burbank officials said they had asked Dynamic Plating to discontinue dumping the toxic materials.

Burbank officials have started proceedings to suspend the firm’s permit to operate within the city, Senior Assistant City Atty. Anthony P. Serritella Sr. said. A hearing is scheduled on that action Tuesday before Public Works Director Steven Magnuson.

Reached by telephone Thursday, a spokesman for the company, who declined to give his name, said, said the firm would explore what it could do to keep its permit.