A parking lot at Will Rogers State Beach will serve as a temporary processing site for hazardous debris from the Palisades Fire, officials say.
Thursday, February 6, 2025 2:07AM
A parking lot at Will Rogers State Beach will serve as a temporary processing site for hazardous debris from the Palisades Fire, officials say.
MALIBU, Calif. (KABC) — A Will Rogers State Beach parking lot will serve as a temporary processing site for hazardous debris from the Palisades Fire, state parks officials said Wednesday.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is working to remove household hazardous materials – such as batteries, propane tanks, paints and pesticides – from properties destroyed or damaged in the recent wildfires. The agency is already using a separate site in the Topanga area for processing wildfire wastes.
WATCH: Protest held over location of Palisades Fire debris collection site
A protest was held over the location of a staging site in Topanga where the EPA says it’s sorting and packaging hazardous waste from the Palisades Fire.
In a news release, the California State Parks said the hazardous materials removed from the properties will be taken to the Will Rogers parking lot site to be “processed, securely packaged, and safely loaded for transportation to a permanent disposal or recycling facility outside of the area.”
“This location is suitable because it is flat, open land in close proximity to damaged properties that require debris removal,” the news release said.
The staging site will remain in place for about 90 days, according to California State Parks.
Los Angeles City Councilwoman Traci Parks has expressed her opposition to multiple agencies.
“I have requested that the EPA conduct an informational session with residents so that they can have their questions answered about what mitigation efforts the EPA intends to take to prevent this from further contaminating the area,” Parks said.
Malibu Mayor Doug Stewart, who was among those objecting to a proposed site in his city’s civic center area, issued a statement commending the location decision.
“The addition of a second temporary EPA processing site at Will Rogers State Beach Parking Lot is an important step in ensuring hazardous materials are removed safely and efficiently, helping impacted residents move forward in rebuilding their homes,” Stewart said. “As recovery efforts progress, we remain committed to advocating for safeguards that protect our coastal environment and the health of our residents.”
The EPA also faced criticism over a processing site it chose near Irwindale to handle hazardous wastes removed from the Eaton Fire burn area. Multiple cities objected to the site.
City News Service contributed to this report.
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A parking lot at Will Rogers State Beach will serve as a temporary processing site for hazardous debris from the Palisades Fire, officials say.