Tesla Bay Area plant ordered to stop spewing toxic emissions after repeated violations

CBS News ^ | June 27, 2024 | Anonymous

[ProtectOurFreedom]

Tesla must fix air quality problems at its electric vehicle manufacturing facility in the San Francisco Bay Area after racking up more than 100 violations for allegedly releasing toxic emissions into the atmosphere over the last five years, an air quality board said Tuesday.

The Bay Area Air Quality Management District planned to issue a written abatement order later this week after Tuesday's announcement. Each of the 112 violations can emit hundreds of pounds of illegal air pollution, the board said.

The plant is in the city of Fremont, in the East Bay, and the agency's independent hearing board pointed to the facility's paint shop operations as a specific problem. The board has ordered Tesla to hire an independent consultant and develop a proposed implementation plan for approval, which it then must execute to stop the toxic emissions.

"Tesla's ongoing violations at their Fremont facility pose a risk to public health and air quality in the surrounding community," Philip Fine, executive officer of the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, said in a news release. "This order is crucial to ensure that Tesla takes prompt and effective action to stop harmful emissions and comply with all air quality regulations to protect the health of those living near the facility."

In February, a California judge ordered the company to pay $1.5 million as part of a settlement of a civil case alleging the company mishandled hazardous waste at its car service centers, energy centers and a factory.

The complaint filed in San Joaquin County alleged illegal disposal of hazardous waste and violation of laws involving the storage and management of the waste. Prosecutors said Tesla cooperated with the investigation and acted to improve compliance with laws that were brought to its attention by the prosecutors.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

Buy a Tesla and Save the Earth! Filthy to manufacture, filthy to drive, and filthy at end of life. What's not to love?

[ifinnegan]

You believe San Francisco environazis?

[ProtectOurFreedom]

Are you saying “They lie and are not to be believed?”

Or are you saying “Can you believe what they are doing now?”

[George from New England]

Technology about 20 years ago got so precise and is able to measure microscopic levels of virtually anything. Levels that mean nothing to people and the environment, only that they allow govt to regulate the ‘acceptable’ levels way below needed or deserving amounts.

Curse on our civilization

[NorthMountain]

Toxic emissions?

What, did the workforce ALL go out for Taco Tuesday?

[bobbo666]

If you do you are either an NPC or commie trash. CaCaLand uses this crappola to shutter companies they do not like, especially if they do not provide “campaign contributions”. This is just an attack on Musk, has nothing to do with Tesla.

[ifinnegan]

“ This is just an attack on Musk, has nothing to do with Tesla.”

I think so.

The person who posted it seems to accept it at face value.

[ifinnegan]

“ Are you saying “They lie and are not to be believed?”

Yes. And it’s an attack specifically on Musk. More lawfare.

My comment was to the poster whose comment indicated he believes the Environazis.

[Fresh Wind]

What about the toxic emissions when a Tesla (or any other EV) goes into thermal runaway? Does that possibility bother Kalifornia?

[ifinnegan]

I see you’re the op.

Your comment makes it seem you accept this accusation against Tesla at face value.

Subsequent comments indicate you do see it as the lawfare it is.

[heavy metal]

shocking...

[wildcard_redneck]

San Franciso leftists and anarchists will not be happy until they drive away all businesses and the residents start eating one another.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

Or, even worse, when a battery factory goes "thermal runaway" or a large scale utility plant goes blooey like Otay Mesa did a month ago. A battery plant caught fire at the Port of Oakland last month and got almost zero press, too.

Fire at Port of Oakland spreads dark smoke plume around the bay>
May 12, 2024

A fire in a facility at the Port of Oakland Sunday afternoon that sent black smoke over the San Francisco Bay was fully extinguished by 4:30 p.m., a spokesman for the fire department said.

"The fire was in a lithium battery at the port, on Seventh Street," said Michael Hunt, a spokesman for the Oakland Fire Department. The fire was reported around 3 p.m. and took about an hour to get under control, Hunt said.

"Nothing toxic in that lithium smoke, citizens. Do not be alarmed."

[lgjhn23]

“..What’s not to love?...”

Environmental whacko libs.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

The accusation (at least reported by a “reporter”) is so summarized and vague as to be worthless. The reporter said that each violation could release “up to 100 pounds of toxic material.” That does not sound like much, but there were 113 violations.

It’s impossible to tell if it is a serious allegation and violation without knowing the materials discharged and the quantity.

[butlerweave]

But But But ,LOL

[Carry_Okie]

The amount of "emissions" sufficient to trigger a violation are equivalent to one pound per day. For reference, an average conifer tree releases 8 pounds per day of toxic VOCs.

IOW this is a leftist attack on Musk.

[monkeyshine]

There are reasons why every major car company left California, though I’m not sure the AQMD existed at the time but air pollution was a big deal in the 1970s. When I was a kid there were several major plants. They built Chevy’s a few miles from where I grew up. Heck, Tesla took over an abandoned GM plant in Fremont to get started.

[Fresh Wind]

Yes, breathing hydrogen chloride, hydrogen fluoride, hydrogen cyanide (a primary component of Zyklon B), methane, and carbon monoxide is perfectly safe. /s

[eyeamok]

This is just the way the State pays for their bloated out of control spending, they do it to All Big Businesses and Manufacturers. Which is why So many have left and many many more are leaving...