Monrovia : Avery Among Top Polluters

Avery Label Systems of Monrovia ranked fourth among the 20 largest Southern California commercial air polluters in 1988, according to a list released by the South Coast Air Quality Management District this week.

Avery, which makes self-adhesive products, spewed 1,076 tons of reactive hydrocarbons into the air in 1988. But company officials said Avery, the only San Gabriel Valley firm on the list, has since spent more than $1 million in equipment changes after discovering problems with its emission control equipment.

Avery officials are expected to update the City Council on the improvements soon, said City Manager Jim Starbird, who is arranging for a council tour of the firm’s California Avenue facilities. “As far as we can tell, they’ve been very responsive,” Starbird said. “Next year’s report should be significantly improved.”

The air quality district on Monday also released a separate list of the 20 top corporate emitters of nitrogen oxides in Southern California in 1988. A San Gabriel Valley firm, Simpson Paper Co. in Pomona, was 19th on the list. Company officials could not be reached for comment Tuesday.