Public Safety · Los Angeles County
State Board Faults Permit Renewal for LA County E-Waste Facility
California's Board of Environmental Safety on Thursday faulted the Department of Toxic Substances Control for how it renewed the permit of Phibro-Tech, an electronic waste processor in Los Angeles County that has operated on a lapsed permit since 1996. The board agreed with community members that DTSC failed to fully account for the company's violation history—29 recorded violations between 2013 and 2022—and that the public record was incomplete, but stopped short of revoking the permit. Phibro-Tech will continue operating under its original permit while state regulators reassess the renewal. The board also granted two of Phibro-Tech's appeals, ordering DTSC to remove certain waste-treatment rules and justify the five-year permit term. Residents in the nearby Los Nietos neighborhood say the facility has impacted their community for more than 30 years.