It's the Pits

Acting on a notorious dump

Located some 50 miles east of Los Angeles, the 22-acre Stringfellow Acid Pits are among the worst repositories of toxic waste in the U.S. Before the site was finally shut down in 1972, it was filled with nearly 34 million gal. of hydrochloric, sulfuric and phosphoric acids, chloroform, trichloroethylene and other poisonous manufacturing byproducts. Although California and federal authorities have spent $7 million to contain the damage, the lethal chemicals are still working their way into the ground water, threatening area residents and farms.

Acting on behalf of the Environmental Protection Agency, the Justice Department last week filed suit, in collaboration with California, against 31 of the polluters, including such corporate giants as Stauffer Chemical, Rockwell International, McDonnell Douglas, Weyerhauser and General Electric. Object: to recover the costs of a total cleanup, which is expected to reach $40 million. The Justice Department denied that the suit was instigated by the White House. But as the largest hazardous-waste case ever filed by the Government, it will inevitably appear as an attempt by the Reagan Administration to prove its new toughness on protecting the environment. This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so viewer discretion is required.