TOP AIR POLLUTION PENALTIES

The South Coast Air Quality Management District has responsibility to control air pollution in the area. It has the power to fine polluters from $25 to $25,000 a day based on such factors as the extent that emissions exceed legal limits, the potential danger to the public, whether the violation was intentional or accidental and the company’s history of violations. These are the 10 highest penalties paid to the district in January:

COMPANY TYPE OF BUSINESS PENALTY Mobil Oil Corp. Oil refinery $6,800 Torrance California Sulfur Co. sulfur $6,000 Wilmington pelletizing Fletcher Oil Co. Oil refinery $6,000 Wilmington U.S Postal Service Mail delivery $5,400 Anaheim Royal Screen Craft Printing $3,000 Los Angeles Water and Wood Water bed $2,500 Corp. manufacturing Garden Grove Marina City Club Private club $2,400 Marina Del Rey club Trimm Industries Inc. Metal part $2,000 North Hollywood painting Stauffer Chemical Co. Chemical $1,750 Carson company L.A. City Department Government $1,500 of Public Works Van Nuys

COMPANY VIOLATION Mobil Oil Corp. Public nuisance due to odors Torrance California Sulfur Co. Excessive sulfur oxide Wilmington emissions due to lack of ventilation Fletcher Oil Co. Excessive odors and smoke; Wilmington excessive hydrocarbons from tanks U.S Postal Service Operating gasoline fueling Anaheim equipment without a permit Royal Screen Craft Excessive hydrocarbons due Los Angeles to high oil content of ink Water and Wood Failure to maintain record of Corp. daily solvent usage Garden Grove Marina City Club Excessive hydrocarbons Marina Del Rey club from failure to maintain vapor recovery system Trimm Industries Inc. Excessive hydrocarbons North Hollywood from operating paint-drying ovens contrary to permit conditions Stauffer Chemical Co. Excessive sulfur oxide Carson emissions from sulfur acid plant L.A. City Department Exceeded methane limits of Public Works from the Toyon Landfill Van Nuys