Watts metal recycling plant faces 24 criminal counts of illegal hazardous waste disposal
A metal recycling plant operating next to a Watts high school campus has been charged with 24 criminal counts of alleged illegal disposal of hazardous waste.
The Los Angeles County District Attorney's office announced the charges Wednesday amid allegations that the plant releases sharp pieces of metal, smoke, fumes, and other hazards onto school grounds.
Jordan High School opened in 1923 and S&W Atlas Iron & Metal Co. has been its neighbor since 1943.
District Attorney George Gascon made the announcement of the charges filed Wednesday, from the school's campus.
"Here at Jordan High School in Watts, more than 500 young students attend class and routinely breathe in dust with lead, chromium, and other toxic materials that we believe emanate from a scrap metal recycling plant Atlas Iron and Metal Corp. which is next door," said Gascon.
Students say there are noises and odors that come from Atlas Metals.
S&W Atlas Iron and Metal Corp. and its owners, Gary and Matthew Weisenberg, were charged with 21 felony counts of knowingly disposing hazardous waste at a site with no permit and one felony count of deposit of hazardous waste, prosecutors said. They were also charged with single misdemeanor counts of public nuisance and failure to maintain or operate a facility to minimize the possibility of a fire.
"After a very long and exhaustive investigation by our Environmental Crimes Division, we have filed a criminal complaint containing 22 felony counts and four misdemeanor counts against Atlas Irons and Metal Corp. and owners Gary Weisneberg and Matthew Weisenberg … Most of the 22 felony counts are based on illegal disposal of hazardous waste, which includes the elements of chromium, nickel, zinc, selenium, antimony, lead and copper within Atlas facilities," said Gascon
In 2020 The Los Angeles Unified School District filed a lawsuit against Atlas asking for the release of the hazardous materials onto the Jordan campus to stop.
The suit also detailed a 2002 pair of explosions at the plant that sent metal shrapnel raining onto the campus.
The L.A. city attorney's office also sued. Last summer the L.A. County district attorney's office's Bureau of Investigation served Atlas Metals with a warrant.
According to the D.A.'s office, soil samples taken at the high school "showed excessive concentrations of lead and zinc," while samples taken at Atlas found excessive concentrations of seven metals.
Atlas Metals and LAUSD did reach a past agreement, where the height of the metal piles was to be reduced to a maximum of 10 feet, and to build a protective wall.
The company also agreed to suspend operations near the school's softball field during games.
Benjamin Gluck, Counsel for Atlas issued the following statement: "We were disappointed to see the charges. Atlas is actively working with the many public agencies involved and is actually moving close to a global resolution. The District Attorney declined to engage with us and chose instead to file charges. We have not learned the details of those charges yet, but we will defend this case vigorously."
Arraignment for the defendants is scheduled for Monday in downtown Los Angeles.
