Firefighters responding to an aerospace facility in Garden Grove over Memorial Day weekend were confronting two dangerous possibilities: an industrial tank could explode, or it could release a large amount of toxic chemical vapor into the air.
For many residents, the emergency was their first encounter with methyl methacrylate, a chemical that can cause breathing problems, nosebleeds, nausea and skin reactions severe enough to require hospitalization.
The Orange County Fire Authority narrowly averted a larger disaster after the tank cracked enough to relieve pressure. Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency, and multiple agencies are now investigating what happened. But a CalMatters review of federal data shows the chemical is stored at facilities across California, including several in Southern California communities.
According to 2024 data reported to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 14 California facilities stored methyl methacrylate that year. Four of them reported storing amounts similar to or greater than the quantity involved in the Garden Grove emergency near GKN Aerospace.
Community advocates say the incident highlights gaps in chemical regulation and weak oversight that can leave neighborhoods vulnerable to industrial accidents.
“This could happen anywhere,” said Ivana Castellanos, toxics program manager for Physicians for Social Responsibility-Los Angeles. “There are so many facilities that handle toxic chemicals, and it’s very easy for something to go wrong.”
At GKN Aerospace, methyl methacrylate was stored as a liquid in a tank. When exposed to heat, the chemical can undergo a reaction known as thermal runaway, in which it heats itself to the point of becoming highly flammable and potentially explosive. Federal records from 2024 show the company stored between 100,000 and nearly 1 million pounds of the toxic substance.
Other companies that reported storing the chemical also operate near residential areas. Three facilities reported much larger amounts — between 1 million and 10 million pounds each: Rohm & Haas Chemicals in Hayward, Engineered Polymer Solutions in Commerce and Plaskolite West in Compton. A fifth facility, Arkema Coating Resins Plant in Torrance, reported storing amounts comparable to GKN Aerospace.
Despite its risks, methyl methacrylate is not regulated under the EPA’s Risk Management Program or California’s parallel program, known as CalARP. In some cases, workplace safety process rules may require closer scrutiny of the chemical, and facilities may need fire or emergency response plans. But sites that store chemicals outside the state and federal accident-prevention programs may not be required to participate in community emergency planning or drills.
Plaskolite West in Compton stores up to 20,000 pounds of methyl methacrylate in tanks and less than 2 million pounds in railcars, said Roger Hamilton, the company’s vice president of operations. The chemical is treated with an inhibitor during storage to help prevent a runaway reaction.
Hamilton said Plaskolite reviews its internal emergency plans annually, and the Orange County incident prompted another review. The company’s plans cover spill response, operator training and chemical monitoring, he said.
Since 2003, Plaskolite West has received five notices of violation from the South Coast Air Quality Management District. In 2021, regulators cited the company for failing to comply with permit conditions for certain equipment. In 2022, the district alleged the company caused a public nuisance after methyl methacrylate was released into the air.
Hamilton said the 2022 incident occurred when a nylon bag containing methyl methacrylate ruptured, releasing a strong odor. He said he was not familiar with the earlier incident.
“Any time you work with any kind of substrates or materials that contain hazardous substances, there is a risk,” Hamilton said. “We try to be very safety-conscious in how we handle these materials, not just for our employees but for the communities around us, and we try to comply with all state and federal laws.”
Glynna Mayers, a representative for Rohm & Haas Chemicals, said the Hayward plant currently stores less than 1 million pounds of the material and complies with all applicable storage and handling requirements.
Mayers said the company stores methyl methacrylate in an elevated tank surrounded by concrete and protected by a fire-suppression system. Like Plaskolite West, the company uses a chemical inhibitor to prevent a reaction. Rohm & Haas also conducts regular drills with local emergency responders, she said.
“Our priority remains the safety of our employees, neighbors and the environment,” Mayers said.
Dave Schrader, a representative for Arkema Coating Resins, said the company is reviewing lessons from the Garden Grove incident. He said the Torrance plant has a strong record on safety and environmental compliance.
“Arkema and the Torrance site are very rigorous when it comes to safety and environmental compliance, which is reflected in the site’s excellent performance in these areas,” Schrader said. He added that the plant conducts emergency response drills with its own teams several times a year and with local responders at least once annually.
Engineered Polymer Solutions, which reported storing between 1 million and 10 million pounds of methyl methacrylate, did not respond to CalMatters’ calls or emails before deadline.
For environmental justice advocates, the Garden Grove emergency was surprising in one respect: few were familiar with methyl methacrylate. But the broader pattern was familiar.
GKN Aerospace agreed to pay more than $900,000 to settle a series of violations cited by the South Coast Air Quality Management District, according to an agreement signed in 2024. The district continued issuing permits for the facility as part of expansion plans.
“Systematically, government agencies continue to allow companies to operate with insufficient safety measures, in some cases without permits, and even issue new permits despite decades of violations,” said Bradley Angel, director of Greenaction for Health and Environmental Justice. “This is the same old story.”
The five facilities storing the largest amounts are located in communities that rank among the top half of California neighborhoods most burdened by pollution, according to CalEnviroScreen 5.0. The Compton and Commerce facilities are in the top 10% of the most impacted communities.
Cynthia Babich, executive director of the Del Amo Action Committee, said she had not known a facility handling methyl methacrylate was operating so close to residents.
Without stronger regulations and public emergency plans for responding to a disaster, Babich said she does not believe residents are adequately protected.
“When things happen like what happened in Orange County, it brings up all the fears our community has — that people are not prepared, that we are not protected and that there are really dangerous chemicals in our community,” she said.
Original source: CalMatters
