Alright, so there’s this recycling plant in South L.A. that’s been causing quite a stir. Apparently, it’s been accused of spewing toxic waste and metal bits onto the grounds of Jordan High School. Not cool, right? Well, the good news is that the plant is finally getting shut down for good. The owners, Matthew and Gary Weisenberg, have agreed to a plea deal in court, admitting to unlawful disposal of hazardous waste and public nuisance. The corporation itself also pleaded no contest to failing to properly dispose of hazardous waste — yikes.
What’s the deal with the fines, though? The company and its owners have to cough up around $150,000 in fines. And get this — they also owe $1 million in restitution to the Los Angeles Unified School District and an extra $850,000 to the district attorney’s office. That’s a whole lot of money, if you ask me. The Weisenbergs aren’t getting off easy either. They have to do 200 hours of community service and be on probation for two years. Oh, and they can’t do any more recycling operations. Talk about a major shutdown.
But wait, there’s more. The Weisenbergs can still operate a business on their land, but no more metal processing or recycling allowed. And if they ever decide to sell, the school district and city have first dibs on buying the property. It’s like a lesson in environmental responsibility, right? The district attorney, Nathan Hochman, is making it clear that “environmental criminals” won’t get away with polluting the land, sea, and air. It’s about time someone stood up against these kinds of violations. At least the community and school officials can breathe a little easier now that the plant is closing its doors.
