Radius to address alleged Clean Water Act violations in California

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has initiated an administrative order on consent with Radius Recycling Inc. in response to alleged Clean Water Act violations at the company's metal recycling facility in West Oakland, California. The order targets the site's discharge of pollutants into the Oakland Inner Harbor and San Francisco Bay in violation of the facility’s permit under the Clean Water Act.

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In January, EPA signed a memorandum of understanding with Radius Recycling, the California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA), other state regulators and a community organization to address the impacts of the company’s metal shredding operation on the West Oakland community. That MOU marked a new collaborative approach by government agencies, industry and communities to solving health and safety concerns.

According to the EPA, wastewater discharge from the Radius Recycling facility in Oakland exceeded National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit limitations for zinc, copper and acute water toxicity. To correct those exceedances, Radius will install a granular activated carbon treatment unit capable of reducing metals below effluent limitations. Radius also will develop and implement a Water Pollution Prevention Plan that increases inspections of the site and strengthens cleaning and maintenance measures.

"This order requires Radius Recycling to improve the quality of water discharges leaving the facility, which will help reduce the flow of pollutants into San Francisco Bay,” EPA Pacific Southwest Region Director for Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Amy Miller says. “In addition, this agreement will improve the general cleanliness of the site and address local community health and safety concerns.”

San Francisco Bay is a critical resource for 7.5 million people living in the Bay Area, the EPA says. The bay is known to have elevated levels of metals that harm wildlife, bioaccumulate in fish that are consumed by residents and could pose additional risk to human health.