The federal Environmental Protection Agency has moved a more than four decade old toxic waste site on the Central Coast up the priority list for cleanup. The Casmalia Resources Hazardous Waste Landfill is a 252 acre toxic waste site which has an estimated five point six billion pounds of wastes.
The northern Santa Barbara County dump was the focus of a nearly decade long battle between area residents, and the dump’s owners in the 1980’s.
The EPA discovered that the dump’s owners were taking in more toxic waste than allowed, but the owners countered by seeking to expand the facility. After the agency rejected the dump’s permits, the facility was closed. The EPA took over management of the site, which was put on the Superfund cleanup list. Now, the site has been added to a new priority list for cleanup.
The EPA is hoping to complete a cleanup plan during the next five years.
