Review Ordered of Landfill
Los Angeles Mayor James K. Hahn and the City Council on Friday ordered a review of whether low-level radioactive waste was dumped at a Sun Valley landfill and if it is now a health hazard.
Hahn and the council cited a report by the California Integrated Waste Management Board that Rocketdyne’s Santa Susana Field Laboratory disposed of waste at the Bradley Landfill without the knowledge of state regulators or local officials. “There were hearings in Sacramento and it was brought to light that through a possible loophole, low levels of radioactive waste were possibly dumped,” said Council President Alex Padilla. “How much and to what extent we don’t know, but it was [dumped] in Sun Valley.”
The review will be conducted by the city’s Environmental Affairs Department.
Gary Gero, assistant general manager for the department, said local rules prohibit dumping radioactive waste at the landfill. He said the department has no evidence any rules were broken.
Rocketdyne officials have said the materials disposed at the landfill met federal safety standards.
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