Lion.com will be offline for scheduled maintenance on Wednesday, May 13, for about one hour starting at 5:00 PM ET. 
Search
Search

Plant Owners Jailed for Accepting Explosives Illegally

Posted on 3/17/2025 by Lion Technology Inc.

Last week, owners of a scrapyard that neighbors a Los Angeles-area high school were taken into custody to spend several days in jail for violating a court order. Awaiting trial on 25 counts of criminal hazardous waste management violations, the pair were found to have violated a court order by continuing to accept canisters that held explosive materials.

To avoid explosions, a Los Angeles Superior Court Judge ordered the company not to accept any gas containers that hadn’t been cut or punctured. This measure was chosen over assigning bail or taking the owners into custody, to prevent future explosions.
 

Plant Owners Jailed for Accepting Explosives Illegally

Alleged Criminal Title 22/RCRA Violations

On September 26, 2025, a news release from Los Angeles County detailed the charges that the plant owners face. The two were charged with:
  • Twenty-one felony counts of knowingly disposing hazardous waste at a site with no permit and one felony county of deposit of hazardous waste.
  • One felony count of deposit of hazardous waste.
  • Two misdemeanor counts of failure to maintain or operate a facility to minimize the possibility of a fire or explosion and one count of public nuisance.
  • One misdemeanor count of failure to operate a facility to minimize the possibility of fire, explosion, or any unplanned sudden or non-sudden release of hazardous waste/hazardous waste constituents to air, soil, or surface water.
Soil from the adjacent high school showed high concentrations of lead and zinc. Metal debris from explosions at the plant have allegedly been found at the school.

The owners plead not guilty and are still awaiting trial.

Find a Post

Recent Posts

Compliance Topics

Compliance Archives

Lion - Quotes

The instructor was great, explaining complex topics in terms that were easily understandable and answering questions clearly and thoroughly.

Brittany Holm

Lab Supervisor

Lion was very extensive. There was a lot of things that were covered that were actually pertaining to what I do and work with. Great Job. I will be coming back in three years!

Tony Petrik

Hazmat Shipping Professional

The instructor was very very informative, helpful, understandable and pleasant. This course answered many questions I had, being new to this industry.

Frances Mona

Shipping Manager

Excellent job. Made what is very dry material interesting. Thoroughly explained all topics in easy-to-understand terms.

David Hertvik

Vice President

Lion's information is very thorough and accurate. Presenter was very good.

Melissa Little

Regulatory Manager

Lion is easily and consistently the best option for compliance training. I've learned new information from every instructor I've had.

Rachel Mathis

EHS Specialist

Much better than my previous class with another company. The Lion instructor made sense, kept me awake and made me laugh!

Marti Severs

Enterprise Safety Manager

Convenient; I can train when I want, where I want.

Barry Cook

Hazmat Shipping Professional

We have a very busy work schedule and using Lion enables us to take the course at our own time. It makes it easy for me to schedule my employees' training.

Timothy Mertes

Hazmat Shipping Professional

Lion's course was superior to others I have taken in the past. Very clear in the presentation and the examples helped to explain the content presented.

George Bersik

Hazardous Waste Professional

Download Our Latest Whitepaper

Use this guide to spot which tanks and substances are regulated under EPA's Underground Storage Tank program, and which are excluded as of October 2018.

Download
Latest Whitepaper

By submitting your phone number, you agree to receive recurring marketing and training text messages. Consent to receive text messages is not required for any purchases. Text STOP at any time to cancel. Message and data rates may apply. View our Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.