LOS ANGELES (Legal Newsline) — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced May 16 that Modern Concepts Inc. and Double R. Trading Inc., two plastic manufacturers in Southern California, will pay a total of $35,000 for allegations of violating the Clean Water Act.
“We urge manufacturers to take the steps needed to keep plastic materials out of our waterways, where they harm marine organisms and birds,” Alexis Strauss, EPA’s acting regional administrator for the Pacific Southwest, said in a statement. “This is but one action among many we can take to minimize the scourge of marine debris.”
According to EPA, the two companies allowed plastic materials at their facilities to wash into local waterways. These plastics allegedly harmed fish, birds and other wildlife in the region.
“Trash in our waterways, including plastics, poses a significant threat to public health and wildlife,” Deborah Smith, executive officer of the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board, said in a statement. “Addressing this water quality problem has been a top priority for the Los Angeles Water Board since 2001 to reduce the amount of trash being discharged to the Los Angeles River. This trash-reducing regulatory program was the first of its kind and has prevented tons of trash from entering the river. The board will continue to work in partnership with EPA to ensure ongoing protection of the Los Angeles River and other regional waterways.”