The Region : Man Honored for Toxic Waste Tip-Off

A former employee of a Lincoln Heights plating firm was praised by Los Angeles City Atty. James Hahn as “a great hero in the war against toxic waste” for telling authorities that the company was dumping hazardous chemicals into public sewers. Fred Cameron was given a $4,900 reward under a new Los Angeles County incentive program. Cameron quit his job in 1983 and told the city that his bosses at Plessey Precision Metals had ordered him to install a valve that would enable them to secretly discharge toxic chemicals into city and county sewers. The company was convicted, fined $75,000 and ordered to perform a $250,000 cleanup job. A company vice president was sentenced to four months in jail.