Anaplex Ordered to Temporarily Suspend Operations

The South Coast Air Quality Management District today ordered Anaplex Corp. – a metal-finishing facility in Paramount – to temporarily shut down all operations emitting the toxic compound hexavalent chromium.

SCAQMD ordered Anaplex Corp. at 15547 Garfield Ave. to shut down all equipment with the potential to emit hexavalent chromium as of midnight tonight because the agency’s air monitoring found levels of the compound above a trigger threshold of 1.0 nanograms per cubic meter.

The level is an average of three 24-hour samples collected over a period of about a week. The threshold, agreed to by Anaplex, was specified in an administrative order adopted by the independent SCAQMD Hearing Board.

The following table shows recent levels of hexavalent chromium at a SCAQMD monitor just downwind of Anaplex:

Date / Hexavalent chromium level* (nanograms/cubic meter)

Sun, June 18 / 0.01

Wed, Jun 21 / 0.07

Sat, Jun 24 / 4.45

Average / 1.5

*Data reflects subtraction of background level of hexavalent chromium

Anaplex will not be able to resume operations of any equipment with the potential to emit hexavalent chromium until SCAQMD determines that the average of three most recent samples, collected over a timeframe of about one week, are below 1.0 nanograms per cubic meter.

“It’s discouraging that Anaplex has exceeded the threshold of emissions set in place by the SCAQMD abatement order,” said Mayor of Paramount Peggy Lemons. “While it’s been three months since the last shutdown, it’s imperative that emissions from their operations do not exceed the threshold limits. We support and applaud SCAQMD’s quick action and hope this will spur Anaplex to work twice as hard as before to achieve long-lasting compliance.”

The current Anaplex curtailment is the second since the Hearing Board adopted its order on Jan. 10. The company previously was ordered to curtail its operations from Feb. 4 to Feb. 9.

SCAQMD found last fall through an exhaustive and fast-paced investigation that Anaplex Corp., and Aerocraft Heat Treating Co. Inc. at 15701 Minnesota Ave., were the source of high levels of hexavalent chromium emissions.

Since then, SCAQMD has monitored 30 locations in the Paramount area and collected and analyzed hundreds of samples for hexavalent chromium. Hexavalent chromium is a potent human carcinogen associated with lung cancer when inhaled over long periods of time, typically years to decades.

SCAQMD is now reviewing health risk assessments and risk reduction plans for Anaplex and Aerocraft as required under the state’s Toxic Hot Spots program and SCAQMD Rule 1402 to ensure these facilities reduce all toxic air contaminants below required levels. While some actions may take longer to implement, the facilities have already begun some risk reduction measures.

Members of the public can find information on SCAQMD’s air monitoring and enforcement activities in Paramount at http://www.aqmd.gov/home/regulations/compliance/air-monitoring- activities#Compliance,%20Sampling.

In addition, the public and the news media are invited to join a monthly conference call on the status of SCAQMD’s Paramount activities on the fourth Tuesday of the month at 6:30 p.m. To participate, call 866-244-8528 and use the passcode 4063768.

A simultaneous Spanish translation of the call is available by calling 888-394-8197 and using the passcode 9891238. The calls are listen-only, however questions may be submitted by email during the call to publicadvisor@aqmd.gov. Questions are answered during the call in the order received.

The SCAQMD is the air pollution control agency for Orange County and major portions of Los Angeles, San Bernardino and Riverside counties.

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