EPA Orders Auto Recycler to Comply with Permits

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has issued an order to Rosemead Auto Recycler, a South El Monte, Calif.-based auto recycling company, to comply with the federal Clean Water Act. Along with compliance the EPA has ordered the company to comply adhere to the clean up and pollution abatement orders issued by the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board.

The order, filed Oct. 15, comes after inspectors from the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board found the company violating its stormwater discharge permit. The company has a National Pollution Discharge Elimination System permit.

Under its permit, the company is allowed to discharge storm water runoff associated with its industrial activities into the Rio Hondo Channel, a tributary to the Los Angeles River, but can do so only if it meets certain permit requirements.

Inspectors found that Rosemead, among other violations, had an incomplete storm water pollution prevention plan and monitoring plan; had not implemented best management practices for storage of hazardous waste engines, transmissions, batteries and miscellaneous auto parts required by its storm water pollution prevention plan; and had not cleaned up oil contamination from its property.

The EPA is ordering Rosemead to comply with its NPDES permit requirements immediately or face penalties of as much as $27,500 a day.