TOP AIR POLLUTION PENALTIES

The South Coast Air Quality Management District has responsibility to control air pollution in the area. It has the power to seek court-imposed fines against polluters of from $25 to $25,000 a day based on such factors as the extent that emissions exceed legal limits, the potential danger to the public, whether the violation was intentional or accidental and the company’s history of violations. These are the 10 highest penalties paid in March:

COMPANY TYPE OF BUSINESS PENALTY VIOLATION Scope Industries Animal feed $25,000 Public nuisance due to (Dext Co.) manufacturer smoke and odors Los Angeles Walt Disney Co. Amusement $12,500 Excessive (Disneyland) park hydrocarbon Anaheim emissions from painting;improper operation of gasoline dispensing equipment Purex, The Dial Co. Detergent $10,000 Excessive particulate South Gate manufacturer emissions Roth Display Inc. Plastic display $9,000 Improper coating Garden Grove manufacturer operation in excess of permit limits Texaco Refining and Bulk loading $7,250 Excessive Marketing terminal hydrocarbon Wilmington emissions Lever Brothers Co. Detergent $5,100 Operating contrary to Los Angeles manufacturer permitconditions Custom Lithograph Printing $5,000 Improper use of Los Angeles company solvents in violation of permit conditions Kirkhill Rubber Co. Rubber $3,600 Failure to obtain Brea materials proper permits manufacturer Rex Precision High precision $3,500 Operating equipment Products parts in violation of permit Gardena manufacturer conditions Unocal Chemicals Urea-loading $2,500 Excessive urea dust Division facility emissions Brea Fontana Paving Asphalt $2,500 Excessive visible Corona production emissions;operating contrary to permit conditions Koboy-Reslabs Co. Ammonia $2,500 Excessive ammonia Gardena packaging odors;operating company without valid permits