FULLERTON : Hazardous-Storage Renewal OK Asked
Hughes Aircraft Co. is seeking to renew a permit that allows the company to store up to 400 drums of hazardous waste on its site, including various chemicals such as cyanides, asbestos waste and industrial solvents.
State health officials said they are seeking comments from nearby residents, businesses and elected officials before making a decision. Under a permit from the state, the company has been allowed to store wastes at its site at 1901 Malvern Ave. since 1985.
The wastes, used in the manufacture of electronic components, are stored in sealed drums in a building that is 1,100 feet from Sunny Hills High School.
Special precautions are taken at the site, including separation of the wastes, and the installation of containment walls, sumps and a leakage-alarm system. Hughes workers also conduct weekly visual checks of the drums, according to the state Department of Health Services.
Most of the wastes are generated at the main Hughes facility in Fullerton, but up to 15% comes from other plants.
The permit allows Hughes to store toxic wastes beyond the 90-day period prescribed by state law. Such permits are granted to companies that generate a large amount of waste.
The health department has been mailing letters and surveys to residents and businesses in the area to notify and question them about the company’s renewal bid.
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