News Release

T – 14 – 17
Barbara A. Lee, Director

Contact: Russ Edmondson
(916) 323-3372
Russ.Edmondson@dtsc.ca.gov

DTSC Investigation Leads to Enforcement Action Against
Fresno Metal Recycler

SACRAMENTO – The Fresno County Superior Court has entered a judgment against SA Recycling LLC, a metal recycler in Fresno, for hazardous waste management violations. This judgment on consent of the parties follows a Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) investigation. Under the terms of the judgment, SA Recycling paid $255,000 to DTSC on Tuesday, July 11.

As a result of a DTSC inspection, SA Recycling was cited for failing to minimize the possibility of any release of hazardous waste to the environment, unlawfully disposing of hazardous waste, and failing to make a hazardous waste determination of the wastes it generates at its facility. DTSC sampled dirt, dust, debris and soil located throughout the property and each sample exceeded hazardous waste regulatory limits for heavy metals (lead, zinc, and/or cadmium).

SA Recycling is a scrap metal recycler that recycles ferrous and non-ferrous metals, cardboard, paper, glass and electronics. Its operations include shearing, sorting, bailing, torching and automobile crushing, as well as appliance decommissioning.

SA Recycling began addressing its contamination in 2014 as a result of DTSC issuing a Summary of Violations following the inspection. DTSC approved SA Recycling’s cleanup plan in March of 2016. SA Recycling spent over a million dollars to pave over its facility, made the appropriate corrections in order to manage hazardous waste properly and made sure that all waste would now go to the proper facility for disposal.

DTSC’s inspection of the facility was conducted as part of the CalEPA 2013 Environmental Justice Initiative. In 2013-14, the CalEPA Environmental Justice Task Force selected a portion of Fresno and its surrounding unincorporated area for its first initiative, with the goal of increasing compliance with environmental laws in the area. The EJ Task Force coordinates the compliance and enforcement work of CalEPA’s boards, departments and office in areas of California that are burdened by multiple sources of pollution and are disproportionately vulnerable to its effects.

More information can be viewed on our Site Project Documents page.

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FOR GENERAL INQUIRIES: Contact the Department of Toxic Substances Control to report illegal handling, discharge, or disposal of hazardous waste or other environmental concerns at Calepa.my.salesforce-sites.com/complaints/Complaint.