Newport company to hold public meeting to explain its emissions risks

The public is invited to attend a meeting Thursday about toxic air risks associated with a Newport Beach metal finishing company located near apartment units and mobile homes.

The South Coast Air Quality Management District meeting begins at 6 p.m. in the Hoag Hospital conference center — a facility separate from the hospital at 3900 W. Coast Hwy., Newport Beach.

Regulators have expressed concerns about Hixson Metal Finishing, 829 Production Place. Based on the agency’s collected data, the business near the Costa Mesa border emits unacceptable levels of hexavalent chromium, a material used during the metal plating process.

The substance, also known as chromium-6, is believed to cause lung, nasal and sinus cancer if inhaled in high concentrations, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In May, AQMD, which has monitored the business for years, demanded that Hixson host the meeting to explain the risks of chromium-6 to residents living nearby. At the time, regulators noted that Hixson had lower emission levels this year than last year but said additional progress is needed.

—Bradley Zint

Twitter: @bradleyzint