By: Jennifer Novak
In June 2024, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a report finding that the former Exide Technologies facility in Vernon, California, along with its surrounding communities, could qualify as a federal superfund site. A copy of its findings and investigation can be accessed here.
While the Exide site has received years of publicity due to high levels of lead found throughout the surrounding area, EPA’s findings were based upon the presence of TCE (Trichloroethylene), a volatile organic compound (VOC) that is widely used as an industrial solvent. EPA reported that TCE has migrated deep into the groundwater table and into local aquifers used for drinking water. This contamination has resulted in TCE levels above federally established health limits at several drinking water wells.
The former Exide facility has a long and complicated history. Situated in a mixed residential and industrial area, the facility began lead recycling operations in 1922. By 1982, it was involved in battery recycling and lead-refining, crushing lead-acid batteries and recycling them in a secondary lead smelter system. Other historical activities included chemical processing. Each of these activities can contribute to significant environmental contamination from spills, inadequate maintenance, insufficient dust controls, and air emissions.
Exide ceased operations in March 2014, following mounting environmental concerns. Since 2013, the California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) has been investigating the Exide site and surrounding areas, including sampling, excavations, and cleanup efforts in over 5,000 residential yards within a 1.7-mile radius of the facility. Soil samples showed residential lead concentrations ranging from 0.48 mg/kg to a staggering 73,200 mg/kg. DTSC has attributed these concentrations to the activities by Exide and other industrial operations, who, in turn, have blamed historic use of leaded gasoline and lead-based paint. As of June 2024, over 5,200 properties have undergone clean-up of onsite lead dust, with more than 5,900 properties still awaiting their turn.
The State of California has already committed $750 million to the project. Environmental advocates continue to push for federal funds to address both lead andTCE contamination, citing concerns for properties beyond the current 1.7-mile cleanup zone radiating from Exide. A Superfund designation could tap into federal funding to expedite the cleanup and potentially expand its scope.
If EPA moves forward with the process, it will still take years to address, and any businesses that could have contributed towards the contamination should be aware that federal money is not necessarily free; a Superfund designation also allows the federal government to seek reimbursement from potentially responsible parties. Thus, it’s not just about the clean-up for the sake of human health and the environment. It’s also about the money.