Cleanup Nowhere Near Finished At Exide Battery-Recycling Facility

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Four months ago, CBS2's Randy Paige exposed the growing lead contamination facing the communities near the Exide battery-recylcing facility in Vernon.

"According to what we were told, we're looking about 9,000 to 10,000 homes have been affected. We don't know the number of homes that would need to be cleaned up, but it's believed to be around 5,000 to 6,000," attorney Gladys Limon said four months ago.

On Friday, Los Angeles Councilman Jose Huizar spoke to Paige about the lack of cleanup that has gone on since our initial report.

Huizar introduced a motion calling on the city attorney to explore legal action against Exide Technologies and the state Department of Toxic Substances Control.

Huizar is also calling on the governor to get involved.

"Governor, we need immediate cleanup, an immediate plan to do that, and we need the funding attached," Huizar said.

Our investigation four months ago found contamination in back yards where children play, on the banks of the storm channel near the facility, on sidewalks and in flowerbeds nearby.

The only evidence of decontamination we found after returning to the site four months later was a small group of workers cleaning up the contaminated storm channel.

In the meantime, Huizar is demanding immediate action, while children continue to play in the contaminated areas.