The Southern LA recycling plant, accused of spitting out toxic waste and leading it to a nearby high school site, was closed Monday.
LA County Superior Court Judge Terry Bolk said S&W ATLAS IRON & METAL would be unable to accept or process new materials that “essentially shut down businesses.” Atty. Nathan Hochman.
The move comes days after Bolk imprisoned factory owners Matthew and Gary Weisenberg for repeated violations of court orders.
The plant and its owners were charged in 2023 for failing to properly dispose of hazardous waste and for failing to minimize the risk of exposure and fire. The Watts Factory has been operating next to Jordan High School for about 70 years. Prosecutors allege that the factory exposed students at Jordan High School to explosions, metal projectiles and lead levels nearly 75 times higher than what federal regulators believe to be safe.
“As allegedly in the court, for 70 years, Atlas Metal has collected all the benefits, and the kids at Jordan High School take all the risks, and this won’t hold back,” Hochman said in a statement. “Under my watch, environmental crimes are punished to the full extent of the law, and those who threaten public safety, especially those who hurt children, are responsible.”
In an email to the Times, defense attorney Benjamin Gulak said the company “will continue its efforts to be a good neighbor and become a member of the community.”
“We do not agree with the characterization of the District Atlas, but we will welcome and follow directions from the court,” Gluck wrote.
After Jordanian students were jared on the first day of school last year after an explosion on the Atlas property, the judge set up Weisenberg bail conditions that would limit the types of canisters the factory could handle.
However, a survey by the California Department of Toxic Substances found a container of acetylene, a highly flammable gas, on site earlier this month. Prosecutors asked Bolk to withdraw Weisenberg’s bail, and Bolk agreed.
During Monday’s hearing, Volk set new bail conditions requiring weekly inspections of plants by investigators from the Toxic Substances Division. According to a spokeswoman for the District Attorney’s Office, if the factory wants to reopen, it must seek approval from Bolk to do so.
“For years, Atlas Metals has put our community at risk without rethinking it. Today, the judges have shown them that they are not beyond the law,” former Jordan High School student Genesis Cruz said in a statement. “As usual, there’s no better business. Watts has long paid for his greed, and this decision shows that his days of not running around are coming to an end.”
Bolk set bail for 37-year-old Matthew Weisenberg for $1 million. His father, Gary Weisenberg, 78, received an order held in place of $100,000. It was not immediately clear whether either man had posted the bond as of Monday afternoon.
Weisenberg will return to court on March 28th.
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