As crews clean up from LA wildfires, some residents are furious over hazardous waste

EPA’s Wildfire Hazardous Waste Site Raises Residents’ Alarm in California

DUARTE, Calif. — A smoke cloud lingers over the San Gabriel Valley, a constant reminder of the recent devastation brought by the Eaton Fire. For residents like Ceci Carroll, who’s lived in Duarte for 23 years, the cleanup of burned-out homes and vehicles poses a new worry: a temporary EPA site to sort and transport hazardous debris.

The EPA has chosen Lario Park in Irwindale as the site for this critical task. However, residents from Duarte, Azusa, and other nearby communities are pushing back, concerned about potential air and water pollution. They fear that proper safety measures may not prevent the spread of hazardous materials already during processing.

"Our main concern is for our children and the school districts here," says Carroll, a former local school board member. "Parents are understandably worried about the chemicals and hazardous materials being handled at the site."

The blazes, which began on Jan. 7, left thousands of structures, cars, and electronics charred across Los Angeles. Now, the EPA faces the daunting task of removing hundreds of tons of hazardous materials, including paints, pesticides, solvents, and even lithium-ion batteries from electric vehicles that can turn toxic when burned.

Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda Solis supports residents’ concerns. "The removal of these materials should not come at the cost of creating a toxic environment for communities already disproportionately impacted by pollution," she stated.

Latino communities adjacent to the site already grapple with higher exposure to ozone and particulate matter pollution, according to data from the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment.

While EPA and officials acknowledge residents’ concerns, they assure that hazardous waste is not inherently harmful as long as safety measures are in place and the waste isn’t stored long-term at the site.

At a recent town hall, local mayors and California Sen. Susan Rubio grilled state and federal officials about the site’s selection, lack of consultation, potential risks, and post-closure testing. Hundreds of residents attended, chanting "Shut it down!" and "Leave it in Altadena!"

EPA coordinator Tara Fitzgerald told the audience that the site was chosen for its availability and suitability, noting that sites closer to the burn zone were used for other emergency operations.

Despite EPA assurances of safety measures and past successful implementations, the Eaton and Palisades fires’ unprecedented scale has residents wary. Together, they torched the largest urban area on record in California, consuming more than double the urban acreage of the 2018 Woolsey Fire.

Residents like Laura Jasso remain unconvinced. "It’s hard to have confidence when they’ve really done this behind our backs," she said.

While cleanup continues, residents are encouraged to stay vigilant and seek information about material handling, emergency response plans, and truck routes and schedules from the EPA and Army Corps.

"We’re committed to holding the EPA accountable for ensuring safety," Jasso asserts. "Ultimately, we don’t want it here, but it’s here right now. We have to acknowledge the safety of our students and families."