CHP Accuses Firm of Trying to Dump Toxic Waste at Puente Hills

The California Highway Patrol has recommended that the district attorney file criminal charges against a Santa Fe Springs company for allegedly attempting to dump potentially explosive toxic waste at the Puente Hills landfill in Hacienda Heights.

William Carter, a deputy district attorney in the environmental crimes unit, said he is waiting for laboratory test results before taking any action against Palley Supply Co.

The CHP recently submitted a report to Carter’s unit recommending that charges be filed against the company for allegedly trying to dump 800 canisters of calcium hydride and 300 canisters of sodium hydroxide at the county landfill in November. County sanitation officials estimated that the canisters were 12 to 18 inches long and 4 to 5 inches wide.

Officials of Palley, which the Secretary of State’s office described as a company that handles new and used surplus material, could not be reached for comment. A woman who identified herself as a receptionist for the company said she had been told that officials did not want to comment and that the Santa Fe Springs facility at 11700 Burke St. had been closed.

Tests in Washington

Samples of the material were transported to a laboratory in Washington for analysis because local laboratories are not equipped to test the waste, Carter said, adding that he does not know when the results will be available.

Concern centered on the calcium hydride, grayish-white crystals that are used by the military to generate gas for weather balloons. When mixed with water, calcium hydride forms highly flammable hydrogen gas.

John Gulledge, head engineer for the county Sanitation Districts, said there was the possibility of explosion if the canisters of calcium hydride leaked or were improperly handled.

Sodium hydroxide, a caustic, white deliquescent chemical, is used in cleaning materials.

Sanitation officials have just billed Palley the $34,000 it cost the county to pay for proper disposal of the hazardous material, Gulledge said. The county expects to charge the company more money to cover such costs as laboratory tests and staff time, sanitation officials said.

A private contractor who specializes in handling potentially explosive material was hired to dispose of the calcium hydride at a site in Seattle that accepts such material, Gulledge said. That site is the closest such facility to the Hacienda Heights landfill, he added.

The sodium hydroxide was transported to Casmalia landfill, a private dump in Santa Barbara County that is licensed to accept hazardous material waste, sanitation officials said.

Sgt. Lance Erickson of the CHP’s hazardous materials unit said the waste was transported to the county landfill via the San Gabriel River Freeway during normal dumping hours.

Two workers at the landfill, Rod Repp and Gary Armstrong, were credited with spotting the hazardous material before it could be dumped in the landfill and alerting the highway patrol.