Environmental Testing Services

Huntington Beach, CA, October 18, 2023

In early September, the County of Riverside proclaimed a local emergency due to a breach of the retaining berm at the Lawson Dump Site on Torres Martinez tribal land near the unincorporated community of Thermal. The failure of the protective berm followed heavy rains. There was also a failure of the landfill’s entombment covering which created contaminated flows potentially containing dioxins and furans according to the proclamation.

This created a threat to mobile home parks situated below the landfill area. In all, three mobile home parks were evacuated when floodwaters with unknown contaminants drenched the area. Residents were provided a temporary shelter and also advised they should avoid contact with runoff until further notice. The proclamation also stated that water and soil testing would determine if additional precautions would be necessary.

“In a case like this, it’s important to test floodwaters and soil to determine any dangers that may have leached out of the landfill, especially in this instance since the Lawson Dump was described as the largest toxic dump in California by a Riverside County District Supervisor,” said Michael Chapman, Laboratory Manager of LA Testing’s Huntington Beach facility. “LA Testing, with laboratories throughout California, can help in these situations. We offer environmental testing services to identify exposure risks from both outdoor and indoor samples. These tests can help to determine contamination levels caused by chemical and microbial sources. LA Testing also provides sampling supplies, personal protective equipment and even easy-to-use test kits to identify a wide range of hazards associated with flood damage.”

To learn more about this or other environmental, health and safety testing services, please visit www.LATesting.com, email info@LATesting.com or call (800) 755-1794. For access to environmental test kits, visit www.EMSLTestKits.com.  

About LA Testing

LA Testing is California’s leading laboratory for food, consumer product, environmental and indoor air quality testing of asbestos, mold, bacteria, lead, VOCs, formaldehyde, soot, char, ash and smoke damage, particulates and other chemicals. In addition, LA Testing offers a full range of air sampling and investigative equipment to professionals and the general public. LA Testing maintains an extensive list of accreditations including: AIHA LAP LLC., AIHA ELLAP, AIHA EMLAP and AIHA IHLAP, CDC Elite, NVLAP, State of California, State of Hawaii Department of Health and other states. LA Testing, along with the EMSL Analytical, Inc. network, has multiple laboratories throughout California including South Pasadena, Huntington Beach, San Leandro and San Diego.