Second phase of testing to begin in the spring
BRENTWOOD — A popular dog park here is expected to reopen today following a two-day environmental assessment to detect whether the soil is dangerously contaminated from toxic waste dumped in the 1950s.
On Friday afternoon, Barrington Avenue was bustling with cars cramming the street and shoppers going in and out of the expensive boutiques. Barrington Dog Park, however, was a different story.
East Fields, the dog park and half of the parking lot were all closed on Thursday and Friday to allow Michael Noel, a certified industrial hygienist from Millennium Environmental Consulting Associates, to conduct soil surface testing to determine whether any contamination exists,and if so,whether the levels are dangerous to animals and humans.
The test comes on the heals of an article written up by reporter Michael Collins in Los Angeles City Beat in May that found a ravine adjacent to the park was contaminated with biomedical research waste that both UCLA and the Veterans Administration of Greater Los Angeles dumped from 1952-1968. Collins’ research found that the waste included radioactive tritium and animal carcasses.
It was an article alarming enough to prompt LA City Councilman Bill Rosendahl, whose district includes Brentwood, to contact the VA Hospital and the central VA office to find out exactly what is going on in Barrington Park.
“The local people were miffed,” Rosendahl said on Friday. “We need to find out what is really here and we need to know if it’s serious enough to do mitigating things.”
Officials at the Veterans Administration of Greater LA do not believe there is a serious health risk at the arroyos adjacent to the park, but felt in light of the article and concerns raised by city officials, it was necessary to conduct an independent comprehensive study on the site so that the hospital would have actual documentation showing the park is safe, said Ralph Tillman, director of asset management of VA of Greater LA.
The waste is categorized as low level radioactive medical waste. Medical waste dumpings in ravines were common and legal practice during the 1950s, according to Tillman.
“We are confident there is no risk to the public in utilization of the park,” he said on Friday.
“It’s a jovial place to be,”
“People think of dog parks as a place for dogs, and that’s true, but it’s also a place for people and their dogs.”
“We are confident there is no risk to the public in utilization of the park.” — Black said on Friday. RALPH TILLMAN DIRECTOR OF ASSET MANAGEMENT, VETERANS ADMINISTRATION OF GREATER LOS ANGELES
The federally funded first phase of testing, which is estimated to cost $70,000, involves checking for surface radiation. Millennium Environmental Consulting Associates closed off approximately 7-10 acres for the assessment and tested about five of those acres.
“Right now, I don’t see any reason not to open it up,” Noel said on Friday, regarding the park. He added that it was unclear exactly what kind of waste was dumped at the site.
“We do know there was some medical isotope waste from the VA,” he said. “We know UCLA burned some materials and buried the ash on the site. As far as we know, VA is the only one who has put any medical waste there.”
A report on the assessment will be presented to the public in January. In the spring, the consultants expect to be back to drill holes in the soil between 30 and 80 feet deep to examine traces of radiation.
The local Brentwood community has been well aware of the medical dumping for the past 20 years, said frequent dog walker Sue Black. The founder of the Friends of Barrington Park, a group that raises money and plans events for the dog park, Black walks her collie mix dog, Russell, at the dog park several times a week.
Black was concerned about whether the soil in the dog park was contaminated, but did not feel the issue was pressing enough to change dog parks.
“We’re very, very happy with what’s happening so far and very glad that all these big entities, bureaucracy and politicians, have been able to come together and do something great,” Black said.
The move to push the environmental test forward was a collaboration of officials, including the VA, Rosendahl, Congressman Henry Waxman’s office — whose 30th district of California includes the VA land and West LA — along with other local authorities.
The city of Los Angeles has leased the park from the VA since the 1980s.
“Everyone feels we’re on the right track to resolving this issue,” Rosendahl said.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on December 2, 2006. Read the original PDF.