Four families who do not know each other, have or know a family member or neighbor who suffers from some type of cancer and live in the Watts neighborhood, near the scrap metal recycling services company, Atlas Iron & Metal Co., who faces a new 25-count indictment (later upgraded to 21) by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
The new lawsuit from U.S. Attorney George Gascón’s office includes a charge related to the explosion that occurred on Aug. 12, the first day of school at Jordan High School in Watts.
The testimonies of Watts residents about the contaminated water and the lawsuit against the company Atlas Iron & Metal Co., coincided with a meeting of community leaders integrated into the Watts Labor Community Action Committee (WLCAC) that, for more than 15 years They have fought for the company to be permanently closed.
“Justice is finally coming; “There is hope for our Latino and African American children,” Tim Watkins, executive director of Watts Labor Community Action Committee (WLCAC), told La Opinión. “The efforts have been worth it; I am 71 years old, my six children were born and raised in Watts, and I decided to continue fighting for my 15 grandchildren.”
Watkins stated that the actions of Atlas Iron & Metal Co. represent “criminal acts.”
“Slavery is supposed to be over in this country,” he said. “The legacy of slavery continues in what we, as citizens, allow to happen to us. If we let them continue to pour toxins into our community, then we will get what we deserve. But. No more. Victory is just around the corner.”
They drink dirty water and there are real cases of cancer
“I don’t understand why I always have a bad stomach,” Mrs. Dora Beltrán, who lives on Kalmia Street and blames her discomfort on the water she consumes from the tap, told La Opinión.
She commented that it is also not explained why her daughter, Emilia, 12 years old, has slow learning problems and what was the reason why her other daughter, Victoria, 29 years old, suffered from leukemia.
A few meters from their home, the Juniper Street residents who lived in apartment 112 of Jordan Downs were removed by the Los Angeles Housing Authority (HACLA) due to high levels of lead that endangered their lives. several children.
“My neighbor, Argelia Velázquez, has just survived breast cancer,” reported Francisca Jiménez, a resident of the Jordan Downs housing complex.
“Something bad happens with the water, which sometimes comes out a very dark color,” added José Picazo, Francisca’s husband. “What worries me most are my grandchildren Mauricio and Iter; We are going to make an appointment with your doctor to analyze how your blood is.”
“Now I understand why my daughter doesn’t understand letters,” said Francisca Jiménez.
Coincidence or not, his neighbor Fernando Figueroa, a 65-year-old man from Mexico City, revealed to this newspaper that a week ago he was diagnosed with prostate cancer.
From now on, Mr. Figueroa said he will only drink bottled water and not from the tap in his sink at home.
Abandonment by authorities and children in dangereither
As a result of water infrastructure abandonment due to disinvestment and poor public policies, Watts has historically faced plumbing issues that contribute to the presence of heavy metals in drinking water.
Lead service lines (LSLs) were built into homes before the Safe Drinking Water Act of 1985 and there are still corroded lead solder, pipes, faucets and fixtures that homeowners or tenants cannot afford to replace or test.
Watts, a neighborhood spanning two square miles in South Los Angeles, is among the most polluted in California.
The community has an overall pollution burden score in the 100th percentile and a cumulative lead pollution score of 91 from water, air pollution, soil, and paint.
According to the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, “a high-scoring area is one that experiences a much greater pollution load than areas with low scores.”
Lead, even at low levels of exposure, can accumulate in the body and cause health problems, including, but not limited to, anemia, cognitive delays, behavioral problems, organ damage, and even death.
Children under six years of age and pregnant women are at increased risk of developing cognitive health effects even at very low exposure levels.
According to a 2022 study by Columbia Medical Center, children absorb a higher percentage of lead through their gastrointestinal tract and are more likely to be iron deficient, which also increases the rate of lead absorption.
McOsker’s response
“Watts residents face significant environmental justice challenges that severely impact their health and well-being,” said Los Angeles Council Member Tim McOsker (Ward 15), who, even before taking office, closely followed the work of the Initiative. Better Watts (BWI).
That initiative has been crucial in drawing attention to the worrying water quality in Watts, said the councilman, who attended the Watts Neighborhood Council meeting where the BWI presented its findings, shedding light on the dire situation.
Recognizing the urgency of the issue, McOsker immediately convened meetings with the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles (HACLA) and the Department of Water and Power (DWP) to advocate for comprehensive water testing at all Watts housing complexes ( Imperial Court, Nickerson Gardens and Jordan Downs) and in the wider Watts area.
“I also filed a motion based on the findings of a study commissioned by the Better Watts Initiative, calling for immediate action to protect the health and safety of Watts residents,” he added.
In addition to contaminated water, the councilman acknowledged that “Atlas Metals has posed a significant threat to the environment and public health in Watts.”
“Numerous lawsuits have arisen related to [relación a] their operations,” he said.
In fact, he was present when criminal charges were announced against the company and filed a motion urging the LADWP and City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto to investigate Atlas Iron & Metal Co.’s compliance with necessary improvements in the treatment of stormwater and contaminant testing.
The management of Atlas Iron & Metal Co., located since 1949 at 10019 South Alameda Street in Los Angeles, was contacted, but La Opinión’s interview request was not granted as of press time.
The prosecutor’s demand
The owners of Atlas Iron and Metal Corporation in Watts face 21 felony charges for disposing of hazardous waste at a site without a permit, Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón said.
The new indictment includes an additional charge related to the junkyard explosion that rocked Jordan High School on the first day of school for the 2024-2025 school year on Aug. 12 at 8:20 a.m. in Watts. No students were injured.
“Our children and the Watts community deserve a safe and healthy environment to learn and grow,” Gascón said. “We will hold companies accountable when they put profits before people and endanger the well-being of our neighborhoods.”
The prosecutor mentioned that the latest charge “is a reminder that the safety of our communities must come first.”
He added that no one has the right to endanger public health, especially in areas that impact the future of children.
The indictment charges the company and its owners, Gary Weisenberg and Matthew Weisenberg, with 21 felony counts of knowingly disposing of hazardous waste on a site without a permit and one felony count of depositing hazardous waste.
They also each face two misdemeanor counts of failing to maintain or operate a facility to minimize the possibility of a fire or explosion and one count of disorderly conduct.
The company and its owners were additionally charged with a misdemeanor of failing to operate a facility to minimize the possibility of fire, explosion, or any sudden or non-sudden or unplanned release of hazardous waste and hazardous waste components into the air, soil or surface water.
The defendants pleaded not guilty during their arraignment Friday in Department 100 of the Foltz Criminal Justice Center. The next date for a pretrial hearing is set for October 28 in Department 128 of the same court.
The company is located in the South Los Angeles/Watts area, the facility is adjacent to Jordan High School and the Jordan Downs housing development.
Said private metal recycling facility that processes scrap metal, as well as electronic waste, has been in operation for approximately 70 years.
The district attorney’s complaint alleges that, despite its long-standing presence, the facility’s operations have increasingly violated environmental and safety standards since 2017.
The complaint states that soil samples taken in an area of the high school showed excessive concentrations of lead and zinc, and that traces of metal were allegedly found at Jordan High School.
Company statement
“The prosecution simply repeated, in a new case, the same 24 counts from the complaint filed a year ago and added only one misdemeanor,” was the statement issued by Atlas Iron and Metal.
“The filing of a new case was, at best, a tactical game or, at worst, a cynical ploy to gain media attention. “It will only cause further delays as the case now has to start over from scratch,” the company spokeswoman said.
The informant noted that, in the last court appearance, “the judge in the previous case held the prosecutor’s office responsible for the delay of the case, because they had not fulfilled their legal obligations so that the case could move forward.
Yesterday, [el jueves] The judge in the new case was satisfied with the actions Atlas has taken to ensure its safe operation. “Despite these unnecessary delays, Atlas will continue to operate safely, for the benefit of the entire community.”
Dangers of lead in water
Lead in drinking water is a highly poisonous metal that can cause serious health problems if ingested in large quantities. Among the effects are: damage to the brain and kidneys, interference with the production of red blood cells.
In addition, delayed physical or neurological development in infants and children, learning and growth problems in children, hearing impairment, and hypertension and cancer in adults.