SIGNAL HILL : Petroleum Firm Cleared of Toxic Waste Charges
Petroleum Recycling Corp. of Signal Hill and three of its executives have been cleared of charges that they let toxic rainwater run off their parking lot and into city streets in 1993.
The 38-count criminal complaint was dismissed for lack of evidence last week by Long Beach Superior Court Judge Richard R. Romero.
Petroleum Recycling and its officials--President Richard Davis McAuley, compliance officer Ronald R. Daerr and former plant manager Mark James Vigeant--were accused of dumping 200,000 gallons of tainted rainwater into a storm drain near the company’s East 29th Street facility in January, 1993.
Company officials said they have the necessary storm-water discharge permit, tested the water and found it to be clean before letting it flow into the street.
Last year, Petroleum Recycling was purchased by Enviropur Waste Refining and Technology Inc. of Chicago and renamed Enviropur West Corp.
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