Lineage is facing multiple air quality violations as hundreds of complaints of rotten odors have been traced to its Boyle Heights cold storage warehouse.
To date, the South Coast Air Quality Management District has issued five violations to Lineage as the company works to remove tons of food waste from the warehouse fire that ignited a month ago. Lineage Chief Operations Officer Jeff Rivera said at a July 9 forum they aimed to meet a 45-day cleanup goal.
This week, AQMD received 54 complaints Monday, 151 complaints Tuesday, 264 complaints Wednesday and more than 200 on Thursday, according to a South Coast AQMD spokesperson. People have shared they’re noticing odors beyond the surrounding area, including in Montebello, El Sereno and the Arts District.
Councilmember Ysabel Jurado on Friday set a Monday deadline for Lineage to detail publicly how the company will address the odor and pest conditions impacting Boyle Heights.
“The current 45-day cleanup directive cannot mean 45 days of residents being unable to breathe comfortably, open their windows, or allow their children to play outside,” Jurado said in a statement. “Lineage must complete the food-waste removal safely and on time, but the company also has a responsibility to protect the surrounding community every day while that work is underway.”
Lineage was cited for “discharging such quantities of air contaminants to cause injury, detriment, nuisance or annoyance to a considerable number of persons,” according to the notices of violation.
Violating South Coast AQMD Rule 402 and California Health & Safety Code Section 41700 can lead to civil penalties ranging from $1,000 to $75,000 per day, South Coast AQMD said.
The South Coast AQMD urges residents to call 1-800-CUTSMOG if they’re dealing with odors and to file a complaint every day so the agency can track the severity.
Loren Estrada, air quality inspector with AQMD, said anyone in the area can report odors. After receiving complaints, an inspector is sent to confirm the odor. She said people can call every day that they’re experiencing odors, adding that a public nuisance citation is issued after inspectors can confirm six complaints. People filing a complaint are required to provide their first and last name, location address and contact information in order to confirm the smell, Estrada said.
Why report an odor?
Every complaint helps create a record of what residents are experiencing.
When you report, include:
- What you smell (chemical, smoke, plastic, rotten egg, etc.)
- Where you are located
- When you noticed the smell
- How long it lasted
- Any symptoms you experienced
They will ask for:
- Your full name
- Your contact information
Reporting option 1: Call South Coast AQMD
Call 1-800-CUT-SMOG / (1-800-288-7664)
Reporting option 2: Submit a complaint online
File a report through South Coast AQMD’s complaint form at aqmd.gov/complaints.
Reporting option 3: Use the AQMD app
Download the free South Coast AQMD mobile app to submit complaints from your phone. Find it here in the App Store if you’ve got an iPhone, and here at the Google Play Store if you’re on Android.
