L.A. Severs Firm’s Sewer in Toxics Case

City sanitation workers severed the sewer line of a Chatsworth electronics company Wednesday, after city officials ruled that the company had repeatedly dumped excessive concentrations of lead and other toxic metals into the sewers.

The city Board of Public Works ordered the action after Bureau of Sanitation inspectors testified at a hearing that the firm, Electroplating Technology, continued to dump excessive levels of lead, copper, and nickel “even though it knew it was being monitored,” board member Edward Avila said.

The company, which manufactures printed circuit boards in a building at 9625 Cozycroft St., first came under scrutiny last August when routine tests of sewage detected the metals, said Stephen Overton, a chief industrial waste inspector for the city Bureau of Sanitation.

Despite the loss of sewer service, Electroplating Technology could continue to operate by contracting with a private disposal firm to haul away its toxic wastes.

3 Citations in 1986

The company was cited three times last year for violating its industrial waste permit, but failed to clean up its waste, Overton said. Samples of effluent taken as recently as last week showed concentrations of the metals that exceeded city standards, he said.

Along with the citations for the sewer discharges, the company was notified of deficiencies found during inspections of its plant, Overton said. Inspectors said they found improperly stored acid and cyanide, which can combine to produce a deadly gas; storage of liquid hazardous waste beyond the three-month limit set by the city and puddles of liquid waste and acid on the floor.

The board referred the case to the environmental protection unit of the city attorney’s office for consideration of criminal charges for dumping hazardous waste, Assistant City Atty. Keith Pritsker said.

Company officials could not be reached for comment on the city’s actions.