Group Warns 3 Firms to Curtail Pollution

A citizens group Tuesday accused three local companies of “appalling” levels of industrial pollution and said it intends to file suit unless the firms comply with federal anti-pollution guidelines within 60 days.

The California Public Interest Research Group, or Cal-PIRG, announced at a news conference that it intends to bring suit against Chem-Tronics Inc. of El Cajon, Palomar Plating Co. Inc. of Escondido and the San Diego-based Kelco Division of Merck & Co. Inc.

Jeffrey Francis, a spokesman for Cal-PIRG, called the three “some of the worst” polluters in San Diego County and said only Chem-Tronics had expressed an interest in “coming into compliance quickly.”

Francis said all three companies have released “excessive, illegal levels of pollutants without penalty,” but that Kelco, as “the largest discharger of waste water” into the metropolitan sewer system, is “an obvious target” of environmental scrutiny.

Francis said that, as the manufacturer of specialty chemicals for food and industrial products, Kelco releases 2.5 million to 3 million gallons of waste water a day, and that the company has discharged highly acidic waste into the sewer system for years.

Acidic spills by Kelco have released even more highly toxic chemicals, and “this kind of pollution record for the largest user of the San Diego metropolitan sewer system is appalling,” Francis said.

“We intend to make it clear that it is no longer an acceptable business practice to pollute, no matter how big a company you are,” he said.

Kelco officials responded in a written statement, saying: “We were surprised to learn (of the intent to sue). . . . Kelco is proud of its environmental record and views protection of the environment as critically important.

“Our policy is to comply with both the letter and the spirit of the environmental regulations,” the statement said. “We have substantially reduced our air emissions of volatile organic compounds and remain committed to achieving a 40% reduction in water usage.

“At the same time, we have worked closely with the city of San Diego’s Metropolitan Wastewater Department and have complied with every request made.”

Cal-PIRG accused Palomar Plating, a metal-finishing facility in Escondido, of 300 days of violations beyond allowable limits of cadmium and zinc since January of last year. The group said records show that Palomar has violated the limits for cyanide and nickel as well.

Ronald McKenzie, a spokesman for Palomar Plating, said Tuesday that the company had asked the city of Escondido to “step in and take jurisdiction over this matter and to complete a full investigation.”

McKenzie said the company was “surprised by this. . . . We send out our waste water on a weekly basis. On a monthly basis, we have a third outside, independent lab test it, and, on a weekly basis, we have the city of Escondido analyze all of it.

“In addition, we get quarterly statements from the city of Escondido about any violation or potential noncompliance, and, according to its regulations, we are in full compliance with all conditions of our use permit with the city,” McKenzie said.

“The numbers (Cal-PIRG) is using for its parameters and ranges are not taken from our permit. They list us as being out of compliance for more than 300 days, and we weren’t even open for 300 days,” McKenzie said.

“We don’t know where they’re getting their data or how they’re calculating it. That’s why we’re looking into it--to find out where they’re even coming from.”

Officials from both the city of Escondido and the state Regional Water Quality Control Board could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

Cal-PIRG accused Chem-Tronics, a subsidiary of Interlake Co., which manufactures and repairs aerospace components, of dumping levels of nickel, silver, lead and chromium into waste water that exceeded the legal limit by 2,000%.

Steve Smith, a Chem-Tronics spokesman, said: “We were aware of these violations and concerned about them, and we think we have them addressed. There will not be violations going forward, because we intend to sit down with Cal-PIRG and explain to them what we’re doing to comply.”

Francis said that, if the companies don’t comply within 60 days, Cal-PIRG will file a formal complaint in federal court to enforce the federal Clean Water Act. He said the court can assess penalties of as much as $25,000 per day per violation.

“But our intent is merely to stop the illegal dumping and to take away the incentive to pollute,” he said. “Our intention is to go to the worst polluters. By doing that, we send a strong signal to all other industries in the area.”