Dive Brief:
- A school district in Huntington Beach, California has filed a lawsuit in Orange County Superior Court, against waste management company Rainbow Environmental Services, alleging that their facility is a health threat to students.
- Rainbow Environmental Services is accused of negligence, improperly maintaining its operation, conducting hazardous activities that make children ill and causing a public and private nuisance.
- Ocean View is also objecting to City Council's approval of an environmental impact report which allows Rainbow to demolish its buildings.
Dive Insight:
The South Coast Air Quality Management District has received 73 complaints about the odors and two concerning the dust since 2008. The nurse at the school, which is located across the street from the facility, has allegedly seen an increase in the amount of students complaining about "allergies, asthma, colds, sore throats, coughs, headaches, nausea and stomachaches" since the company started pulverizing concrete. Although the company ceased crushing concrete in October due to a complaint, the school stated that it has not ended the issue, resulting in the district seeking a permanent solution.