Posted on 03/02/2025 7:51:30 AM PST by BenLurkin
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced earlier this week that it finished phase one of its work in the Palisades and Eaton fire areas, clearing about 9,200 properties.
However, despite removing over 300 million tons of hazardous material, EPA deemed thousands of properties “too toxic” for clearing until phase two – which will be conducted by the Army Corps of Engineers.
Residents cannot begin rebuilding until properties have been cleared, but officials said deferring the properties to the Army Corps shouldn’t change the time frame when it comes to the rebuilding process.
Fire debris has also started to make its way into the ocean, leading to an ocean water advisory from Las Flores State Beach to Santa Monica State Beach.
(Excerpt) Read more at ktla.com ...
That was before they found out that Elon Musk was evil lol.
Yes...many purchases have some tag saying it is toxic in California...in so many words
Plastics, when they burn, release a number of toxins.
Yup—lol.
LOL. I have seen an MSDS for apple juice.
I once wrote on the MSDS - "in case of ingestion, eat ice cream and urinate frequently."
EPA says 300 million tons of hazardous material were cleared from 9,200 properties.
300e6 [tons] / 9,200 [structures] = 33 thousand TONS per structure. Grok 3 estimates that the average 3,500 sq ft single story furnished house weighs 125–175 tons. 33,000 tons vs 175 tons? Close enough for government work, right?
For reference, digging an 8 ft deep basement for a 3,000 sq ft house removes 1,200 tons of soil.
So that doesn’t add up. Maybe EPA scraped the entire towns clean? The Palisades fire burned 23,448 acres and the Eaton fire burned 14,021 acres. You would have to scrape 40 inches of soil from the ENTIRE BURNED AREA to get to 300 million tons.
As usual, innumerate writers and officials are spewing garbage out of their asses.
I read or watched something on X that most of these houses each has its own septic system. Typically they will be decades old. Rebuilding one and meeting code that close to the ocean will cost millions. The old systems will have to be removed first. It will be a total mess.
Interesting post.
I know folks who built a house on Lake Champlain in Vermont.
The only way they could do it was to bribe local officials to approve their septic system.
“...what these toxic dangerous materials are”
How many cans of paint, motor oil, and pesticides are stored in the average suburban garage?
I agree that whatever that number/amount is, it should be nominal and expected in most cases.
Nobody else noticed this little boo boo? My rough calcs show that for this number to be correct, if each of the 9200 lots was the size of a football field (goal line to goal line) and all the soil was removed to a depth of 12 feet, you would be close to this tonnage.
Insultingly stupid.
I read or watched something on X that most of these houses each has its own septic system. Typically they will be decades old. Rebuilding one and meeting code that close to the ocean will cost millions. The old systems will have to be removed first.
Adam Corolla talked about that on his podcast when he went back to check on his condo in Malibu (it only got singed). As a former home builder he spoke knowledgeably about it, and said that regardless of how officials talk about short-cutting regulations, there’s going to be NO shortcutting regulations as relates to that issue.
They should have filled the Coliseum with the toxic debris to keep it contained
I bought a property in tax foreclosure. It had a dilapidated house on it full of junk. When I had the house demolished I carefully removed all hazardous materials before disposal. Haha. No I didn’t. I had someone dig a deep hole, knock down house, put house in hole, burn house, cover hole. Done.
“However, despite removing over 300 million tons of hazardous material...”
And they put it where, exactly?
The ashes from older pressure treated wood is toxic. That could be part of the problem too.
“there’s going to be NO shortcutting regulations as relates to that issue.”
Good info—as many of us suspected the politicians were lying when they opened their mouths.
Newsom and Bass are buying time on the rebuilding efforts until they figure how how best to capitalize on the opportunity for graft that this presents.
When we have to shut down the road and have a hazmat team in full gear come out to pick up a chlorine container that fell off a pool service truck you know the bar is low for toxicity standards.
You have to remember that FEMA contractors are paid by the ton. All the houses that burned near us in 2017 had huge craters dug to remove “toxic” materials and soil.
Wow, I knew that California and its counties were insane about possible hazardous waste. Were you affected by the Tubbs Fire in Sonoma and Napa Counties?
I remember reading that there were not enough hazardous waste contractors available and nobody could clear their property for months or years because of fears of hazardous materials in the burned-out structures.
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