Hearing Set on BKK Landfill Safety Plans

State health officials will hold a public meeting Wednesday to detail environmental safety measures that have been taken at the BKK Corp. landfill, once Southern California’s primary toxic waste dump.

The dump stopped accepting toxic waste in 1984, and officially closed its toxic section last year. West of the closed section, BKK still operates a 443-acre dump, accepting non-hazardous trash. It is the second-largest facility of its kind in Los Angeles County and is one of the nation’s largest.

BKK expects to continue operating this part of the landfill until 1995, said Jake Amar, the firm’s environmental systems manager.

State officials require closed dumps to submit plans for future maintenance of their sites. After the plans are approved, the state issues a “post-closure permit” to the facility. The 6:30 p.m. meeting at the West Covina Senior Center, 2501 E. Cortez St., will focus on the permit process.

At the three-hour meeting, state health department officials will give a presentation and then allow time for questions from the public.

During the last six years, BKK has spent nearly $38 million in improvements and equipment related to closing the toxic area, Amar said. The firm covered the area with clay ranging in depth from six to 20 feet, he said. There is also an intricate system that collects gas generated by the decomposing wastes and uses it to run electricity-generating turbines. The energy is sold to Southern California Edison.

Later this year, state health officials said, they expect to hold a formal public hearing on the post-closure permit.