The City of Los Angeles is home to an estimated 3,999,759 residents, and it’s located in Los Angeles County, CA.
This report will help you become better acquainted with Los Angeles and the surrounding area by addressing the following questions:
Are there any hazardous sites in Los Angeles County, CA?
How clean is the air in Los Angeles County, CA?
What’s the average radon level for homes in Los Angeles County, CA?
Is the water in Los Angeles County, CA safe to drink?
Hazardous Sites near Los Angeles, CA
There are 17 Superfund sites in Los Angeles County, CA. Superfund sites, like Operating Industries, Inc., Landfill in Monterey Park, CA, are areas that have been contaminated with hazardous substances. If not for the cleanup efforts orchestrated by the EPA, these sites could endanger people living in nearby communities.
The EPA uses the Hazardous Ranking System (HRS) to quantify the risk a contaminated site poses to human health and the environment. Sites assigned HRS scores of 28.5 or greater qualify for placement on the National Priorities List (NPL), and are eligible to receive federal funding for cleanup efforts.
Before the EPA deletes a site from the NPL, it conducts reviews to ensure the cleanup was sufficient. As a result, some sites remain on the active site list long after cleanup activities are complete.
For more information about the Superfund sites located in the Los Angeles, CA area, be sure to review the map and background information provided below:
Map Legend:
06037
A. Operating Industries, Inc., Landfill (HRS Score: 57)
The Operating Industries, Inc., Landfill site is located in Monterey Park, CA.
Contaminants found at the Operating Industries, Inc., Landfill site include:
Aluminum
Antimony
Arsenic
Barium
Benzene
06037
B. Cooper Drum Co. (HRS Score: 50)
The Cooper Drum Co. site, used to recondition industrial chemical drums from 1941 to 1992, is located in South Gate, CA.
Contaminants found at the Cooper Drum Co. site include:
Benzene
Lead
Cis-1,2-Dichloroethene
1,2-Dichloropropane
1,2,3-Trichloropropane
06037
C. Jet Propulsion Laboratory (NASA) (HRS Score: 50)
The Jet Propulsion Laboratory (NASA) site, used for Research and Development activities by NASA, is located in Pasadena, CA.
Contaminants found at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (NASA) site include:
Arsenic
Chloroform
Bis(2-Ethylhexyl)Phthalate
Bromodichloromethane
Chromium(VI)
06037
D. Southern Avenue Industrial Area (HRS Score: 50)
The Southern Avenue Industrial Area site is in South Gate, CA. It was used to manufacture hot-melt adhesive tape for laying carpets from 1972 to 2012. Before 1972, a screw products manufacturer operated a facility at the site.
06037
E. Del Amo (HRS Score: 47)
The Del Amo site, used to produce synthetic rubber from 1943 until 1972, is located in Los Angeles, CA.
Contaminants found at the Del Amo site include:
Arsenic
Benzene
Voc
1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene
Cyclohexane
06037
F. Jervis B. Webb Co. (HRS Score: 46)
The Jervis B. Webb Co. site, used to manufacture industrial conveyor belt systems and aircraft rivets, is located in South Gate, CA.
06037
G. Pemaco Maywood (HRS Score: 45)
The Pemaco Maywood site, the location of a chemical mixing facility from the 1940s to the 1990s, is located in Maywood, CA.
Contaminants found at the Pemaco Maywood site include:
Aluminum
Antimony
Arsenic
Barium
Benzene
06037
H. San Fernando Valley (Area 1) (HRS Score: 42)
The San Fernando Valley (Area 1) site, a twenty-square-mile area of contaminated groundwater, is located in North Hollywood, CA.
Contaminants found at the San Fernando Valley (Area 1) site include:
Arsenic
Benzene
Chloroform
Chromium
1,1-Dichloroethane
06037
I. San Fernando Valley (Area 2) (HRS Score: 42)
The San Fernando Valley (Area 2) site, a 6,680-acre area of contaminated groundwater, is located in Glendale, CA.
Contaminants found at the San Fernando Valley (Area 2) site include:
Arsenic
Benzene
Chromium
Lead
Mercury
06037
J. San Gabriel Valley (Area 1) (HRS Score: 42)
The San Gabriel Valley (Area 1) site, an 11-square-mile area of contaminated groundwater, is located in El Monte, CA.
Contaminants found at the San Gabriel Valley (Area 1) site include:
Chloroform
1,4-Dioxane
Carbon Tetrachloride
Trans-1,2-Dichloroethene
Tetrachloroethene
06037
K. San Gabriel Valley (Area 2) (HRS Score: 42)
The San Gabriel Valley (Area 2) site, an area of groundwater contaminated by improper chemical handling and disposal, is located in Baldwin Park, CA.
Contaminants found at the San Gabriel Valley (Area 2) site include:
Benzene
Chloroform
Tetrachloroethene
Trichloroethene
Carbon Tetrachloride
06037
L. San Fernando Valley (Area 4) (HRS Score: 36)
The San Fernando Valley (Area 4) site, a 5,860-acre area of contaminated groundwater, is located in Los Angeles, CA.
06037
M. Waste Disposal, Inc. (HRS Score: 35)
The Waste Disposal, Inc. site, used to dispose of chemicals, solvents, construction debris and other waste materials, is located in Santa Fe Springs, CA.
Contaminants found at the Waste Disposal, Inc. site include:
Antimony
Arsenic
Benzene
Beryllium
Cadmium
06037
N. Montrose Chemical Corp. (HRS Score: 32)
The Montrose Chemical Corp. site, an insecticide manufacturing facility from 1947 to 1982, is located in Torrance, CA.
The EPA found dangerous levels of Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs), and P,P'-DDT at the Montrose Chemical Corp. site.
06037
O. Omega Chemical Corporation (HRS Score: 31)
The Omega Chemical Corporation site, a former refrigerant and solvent recycling facility, is located in Whittier, CA.
Contaminants found at the Omega Chemical Corporation site include:
Chloroform
1,1,2-Trichloroethane
Carbon Tetrachloride
1,4-Dioxane
1,1-Dichloroethane
06037
P. San Gabriel Valley (Area 3) (HRS Score: 29)
The San Gabriel Valley (Area 3) site, a 19-square-mile area containing contaminated groundwater, is located in Alhambra, CA.
06037
Q. San Gabriel Valley (Area 4) (HRS Score: 29)
The San Gabriel Valley (Area 4) site, a five-square-mile area of contaminated groundwater, is located in La Puente, CA.
Contaminants found at the San Gabriel Valley (Area 4) site include:
N-Nitrosodimethylamine
1,4-Dioxane
Perchlorate
Air Quality in the Los Angeles, CA Area
The two most widespread forms of air pollution are ozone (smog) and particle pollution (soot). Exposure to these harmful pollutants, for even just a short period, can have adverse effects on your health.
Thanks to data collected by air monitoring equipment located across the country, the American Lung Association (ALA) is able to assess and track our air quality using three metrics:
Ozone
Short-term Particle Pollution
Year-round Particle Pollution
In their 2019 annual report, the ALA rated the air quality in Los Angeles County, CA as follows:
Ground-LevelOzone Pollution
Grading Scale: A-F
Short-TermParticle Pollution
Grading Scale: A-F
Year-RoundParticle Pollution
Grading Scale: Pass/Fail
Radon Levels in Los Angeles, CA Area
Air quality inside your home can be impacted by a number of factors, including the presence of hazardous substances in building materials (asbestos, lead, formaldehyde, etc.) and local radon levels.
Radon is a naturally occurring gas you cannot see or smell. It can build up inside your home and negatively impact your indoor air quality as well as your health.
To provide a guideline, the EPA assigned one of three zones to each U.S. county and county equivalent:
Zone 1 (higher radon levels)
Zone 2 (moderate levels)
Zone 3 (lower levels)
Indoor radon readings in Los Angeles County, CA are expected to average from 2 to 4 picocuries per liter (pCi/L), so the county has been assigned EPA Radon Zone 2.
EPA Radon Zone
According to the EPA, you should consider acting to reduce your home's radon level if it measures between 2 and 4 pCi/L, so if you're contemplating buying a home in Los Angeles, CA, you should have a radon test performed.
Water Quality in Los Angeles, CA Area
In accordance with the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), the EPA sets regulatory limits for drinking water contaminants known to cause adverse health effects.
The following Los Angeles County, CA water provider(s) violated the maximum allowable level for one or more regulated contaminants:
Infants below the age of six months who drink water containing nitrate in excess of the MCL could become seriously ill and, if untreated, may die. Symptoms include shortness of breath and blue-baby syndrome.
Infants below the age of six months who drink water containing nitrate in excess of the MCL could become seriously ill and, if untreated, may die. Symptoms include shortness of breath and blue-baby syndrome.
Infants below the age of six months who drink water containing nitrate in excess of the MCL could become seriously ill and, if untreated, may die. Symptoms include shortness of breath and blue-baby syndrome.
Infants below the age of six months who drink water containing nitrate in excess of the MCL could become seriously ill and, if untreated, may die. Symptoms include shortness of breath and blue-baby syndrome.
Infants below the age of six months who drink water containing nitrate in excess of the MCL could become seriously ill and, if untreated, may die. Symptoms include shortness of breath and blue-baby syndrome.
Infants below the age of six months who drink water containing nitrate in excess of the MCL could become seriously ill and, if untreated, may die. Symptoms include shortness of breath and blue-baby syndrome.
Infants below the age of six months who drink water containing nitrate in excess of the MCL could become seriously ill and, if untreated, may die. Symptoms include shortness of breath and blue-baby syndrome.
Infants below the age of six months who drink water containing nitrate in excess of the MCL could become seriously ill and, if untreated, may die. Symptoms include shortness of breath and blue-baby syndrome.
Infants below the age of six months who drink water containing nitrate in excess of the MCL could become seriously ill and, if untreated, may die. Symptoms include shortness of breath and blue-baby syndrome.
Infants below the age of six months who drink water containing nitrate in excess of the MCL could become seriously ill and, if untreated, may die. Symptoms include shortness of breath and blue-baby syndrome.
Infants below the age of six months who drink water containing nitrate in excess of the MCL could become seriously ill and, if untreated, may die. Symptoms include shortness of breath and blue-baby syndrome.
06037
Sierra Madre-City, Water Dept.
Fluoride
Bone disease (pain and tenderness of the bones); children may get mottled teeth
Skin damage or problems with circulatory systems, and may have increased risk of getting cancer
In addition to setting enforceable standards for harmful contaminants, the EPA also established guidelines to assist public water providers in managing the taste, odor and color of their drinking water.
To find out more about what’s in your drinking water, contact your utility company and request a copy of the latest Consumer Confidence Report.
Sources and Methods
Hazardous Sites: Identified using a report from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), hazardous sites detailed on trendingtowns.com represent sites contained on the National Priorities List (NPL) as of November 25, 2019. The NPL is the list of national priorities among the known releases or threatened releases of hazardous substances, pollutants, or contaminants throughout the United States and its territories. All site-related data was sourced from the EPA.
Air Quality: Grades for ozone, short-term particle pollution, and year-round particle pollution were obtained from State of the Air 2019, a report compiled by the American Lung Association.
Radon Zones: Radon zone designations were obtained using a public use dataset provided by the EPA (September 11, 2019).
Water Quality: Drinking water violation data was sourced from the Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS), a public use database provided by the EPA. The dataset included violations submitted to the database as of the third quarter of 2019.
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