DTSC conducts a Comprehensive Evaluation Inspection every year at Exide to determine if the facility is operating in compliance with hazardous waste laws and regulations. In the past few years Exide has been issued three enforcement orders.

The most serious violation was for storing hazardous waste lead contaminated sludge, which is generated from the Exide’s operation, in the Retention Pond. The Retention Pond is designed to collect rain water during a storm event. Analytical results for the hazardous waste lead contaminated sludge showed lead levels ranging from 91,000 ppm to 130,000ppm.

Other major violations include1) storing of hazardous waste spent lead acid batteries in two off -site warehouses that were not authorized to store hazardous waste, 2) modifying their waste water treatment unit without prior authorization from DTSC, and 3) storing hazardous waste batteries in the west yard which is not authorized for storage of hazardous waste. Exide has also been cited for other minor violations.

All violations, except the storage of sludge in the Retention Pond, have already been corrected. DTSC is working with Exide to make the Retention Pond a regulated unit.