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 seek court-imposed fines against polluters of 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, accidental or due to negligence and the company’s history of violations. These are the 10 highest penalties paid in July: COMPANY Bonanza Aluminum Corp, Ontario.TYPE OF BUSINESS Aluminum die-casting firm PENALTY $30,000 VIOLATION Excessive hydrocarbons from operating spray painting booths contrary to permit conditions COMPANY Good Bedrooms Inc,Compton TYPE OF BUSINESS Furniture manufacturer PENALTY $17,500 VIOLATION Failure to obtain a permit to operate spray painting booths; excessive hydrocarbons from paint fumes COMPANY Lockheed Aircraft Service, Ontario TYPE OF BUSINESS Aircraft maintenance firm PENALTY $15,000 VIOLATION Altering equipment without notifying the AQMD; fuel leaks from a loading arm used to load aircraft fuel onto trucks COMPANY Asphalt Construction Co, Littlerock TYPE OF BUSINESS Asphalt supplier PENALTY $5,000 VIOLATION Excessive carbon monoxide emissions from an asphalt batch plant and a scrubber COMPANY Henry Soss & Co. Inc, Los Angeles TYPE OF BUSINESS Security products manufacturer PENALTY $5,000 VIOLATION Excessive hydrocarbons from painting operation; failure to obtain a permit to operate a paint spray booth, a drying oven, two chrome-plating tanks and a scrubber COMPANY Mission Custom Shutters, Santa Ana TYPE OF BUSINESS Window shutter manufacturer PENALTY $5,000 VIOLATION Failure to keep paint from spray booths from landing on neighboring property on several occasions COMPANY A/C Folding Gates, Pomona TYPE OF BUSINESS Industrial security gate manufacturer PENALTY $4,900 VIOLATION Operating a spray painting booth contrary to permit conditions COMPANY Johnson Laminating and Packaging Inc, Carson TYPE OF BUSINESS Laminating and packaging service PENALTY $3,000 VIOLATION Excessive solvent fumes; failure to obtain a permit to operate a paint coating system COMPANY Whico Machine Co, Azusa TYPE OF BUSINESS Replacement parts manufacturer PENALTY $3,000 VIOLATION Excessive hydrocarbons from painting operation; failure to obtain a permit for installing a paint spray gun COMPANY The Koll Co, Newport Beach TYPE OF BUSINESS Commercial development firm PENALTY $1,600 VIOLATION Failure to obtain a permit to operate internal combustion engines