your coffee table! Business owner cited in 1992 for dumping toxic chemical
Federal authorities are investigating a local business for allegedly dumping toxic waste into the city’s sewers.
The FBI was tipped off to the alleged dumping of methylene chloride, which is commonly used as a paint stripper, when a worker repairing the sewers along Main Street last month fell unconscious and went into cardiac arrest.
Stripper Herk, a furniture-stripping company located at 2015 1/2 Main St., was served with a search warrant by the FBI Thursday. The shop has been monitored by the city since 1992 for similar violations, according to an affidavit filed with the U.S. Attorney’s office in Los Angeles.
In the 29-page affidavit, FBI special agent Annette Freihon said Michael Miller, the owner of Stripper Herk, allegedly stored approximately 20 55-gallon barrels of the toxic substance without a permit. He also allegedly dumped the coffee-colored substance directly into city sewers.
Miller couldn’t be reached Friday evening. According to the affidavit, Miller last month told LA County Fire Department Hazardous Materials Unit Investigator Paul Biren that he intended to have the drums transported off site for disposal, but “was using his funds to fix his roof rather than pay for disposal of the hazardous wastes.”
On March 26, Vincente Valenzuela, a Main Street sewer repairman, was called out of the 36-inch diameter line he was working on after spotters above “detected a chemical odor,”
On March 26, Vincente Valenzuela, a Main Street sewer repairman, was called out of the 36-inch diameter line he was working on after spotters above “detected a chemical odor.” according to the affidavit.
But Valenzuela was blocked on one side by equipment and had to crawl through an unknown liquid that was dripping into the sewer from above, according to the affidavit.
Another worker went in after Valenzuela and also was overcome by the fumes. Finally, a worker in full protective gear went into the sewer and hoisted Valenzuela back to street level. Fire officials performed CPR on Valenzuela, who was then transferred to UCLA Medical Center, according to the affidavit.
Miller was ordered by the city in 1992 to plug his connection to the city sewer after being served with a notice of violation for unlawfully dumping the toxic substance into the sewer, according to the affidavit.
On the same day the sewer workman was injured, Miller told Dina Khadavi, a senior environmental inspector for the city of Santa Monica, that “he knew he was not supposed to be discharging any liquid through the drain, but explained that the plug” had rusted out, according to the affidavit.
Exposure to methylene chloride causes burning of the skin and eyes and damage to the central nervous system, according to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Many environmental agencies, including the Environmental Protection Agency, have listed methylene chloride as a probable cancer-causing substance.
It is unclear whether charges or fines will be levied against Miller but the dumping is a violation of the Clean Water Act. It is also unknown where the Main Street sewer line leads.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on April 12, 2003. Read the original PDF.