EL CAJON : Firm to Pay Fine for Waste Disposal

An El Cajon aerospace firm has agreed to pay more than $120,000 in penalties for sending hazardous waste to a San Diego County landfill, the district attorney’s office has announced.

Chem-Tronics Inc. agreed to pay $123,544 in penalties after a civil suit charged the company with illegally transporting and disposing of hazardous waste at the county’s Sycamore Landfill in November, according to Joe Pitts, spokesman for the district attorney’s office.

The company, which manufactures jet engine components, said Tuesday that it inadvertently sent corrosive and flammable chemicals meant for reuse to the East San Diego landfill. The chemicals were discovered by landfill workers, who notified hazardous-materials authorities, Chem-Tronics spokesman John E. Linehan said.

The chemicals were never dumped and were carted back to the company after the error was discovered, Linehan said.

The company agreed to pay the penalties to avoid the cost of litigation, Linehan said. Chem-Tronics also faces three years of surprise inspections, Pitts said.