On Wednesday, May 10, the City of Paramount joined the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health to take soil samples in areas east of Aerocraft Heat Treating Company and Anaplex Corporation. Surface samples were collected in order to test for the presence of hexavalent chromium. The goal of the testing was to better understand if and how far hexavalent chromium (also known as Chromium 6) had spread from two identified sources of hexavalent chromium emissions in Paramount. The City’s environmental consultants, Tetra Tech, were engaged to provide split sample testing support with the Department of Public Health to support adherence to good science practices and ensure accuracy of the soil sample findings. The split samples were sent to two independent laboratories as a result of the joint-effort. Result should be available in June 2017.
“The City of Paramount is committed to safeguarding the health of our residents,” said Mayor Peggy Lemons. “We are grateful to the Department of Public Health and other regulatory agencies who have used their expertise to assess and improve our environment – whether it be air, water, or soil. The City Council and staff will continue to support or partner with other agencies so that we can ensure all metal-emitting facilities remain in compliance well into the future.”
Both the Department of Public Health and Tetra Tech reviewed and agreed upon the testing methodology prior to the start of the sampling. Once the testing is completed, the two agencies will analyze and compare their results, then report their findings to the City and the State. The final results of the sampling will be posted to ParamountEnvironment.org and shared with the public as soon as they are available.
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