TOP AIR POLLUTION PENALTIES

The South Coast Air Quality Management District has responsibility to control air pollution in the area. It has the power to seek court-imposed fines against polluters of from $25 to $25,000 a day based on such factors as the extent that emissions exceed legal limits, the potential danger to the public, whether the violation was intentional, accidental or due to negligence and the company’s history of violations. These are the 10 highest penalties paid in September:

COMPANY Douglas Aircraft Co. Torrance TYPE OF BUSINESS Defense contractor PENALTY $30,000 VIOLATION Excess vapor pressure in solvents used; operating ovens, scrubbers, degreasers, liquid storage tanks and other equipment without permitsCOMPANY Remo Inc. North Hollywood TYPE OF BUSINESS Musical drum manufacturer PENALTY $5,000 VIOLATION Excessive hydrocarbons from polyester and adhesive coating operationsCOMPANY Eurocraft Architectural Metals

Bell Gardens TYPE OF BUSINESS Custom metal framing manufacturer PENALTY $3,500 VIOLATION Excessive hydrocarbons from paint coating operations COMPANY Memorial Hospital of Gardena TYPE OF BUSINESS Medical center PENALTY $3,500 VIOLATION Failure to submit an approved AQMD ride-sharing plan prior to August 1989 deadline COMPANY Aspen Property Management Corp.

Los Angeles TYPE OF BUSINESS Property management firm PENALTY $2,400 VIOLATION Failure to obtain a permit to operate an internal combustion engine COMPANY Krieger Steel Products Pico Rivera TYPE OF BUSINESS Metals manufacturer PENALTY $2,100 VIOLATION Failure to obtain a permit to operate painting equipment COMPANY Grand Promenade Los Angeles TYPE OF BUSINESS Property leasing and management firm PENALTY $1,200 VIOLATION Failure to obtain a permit to operate an internal combustion engine COMPANY Hessco Industries La Habra TYPE OF BUSINESS Bathtub manufacturer PENALTY $1,000 VIOLATION Excessive dust emissions from grinding operations COMPANY Monsanto Co. Anaheim TYPE OF BUSINESS Styrofoam products manufacturer PENALTY $1,000 VIOLATION Failure to maintain a smog episode communications system COMPANY Texaco Refining and Marketing Inc.

Wilmington TYPE OF BUSINESS Oil refinery PENALTY $1,000 VIOLATION Failure to operate its smog episode communications system