State Health Department Allows Polluting IES Incinerators To Re-Open On Limited 90-Day Permit

Protests to Escalate in the Coming Days in Response to Resumption of Full Incineration Operations

For more information, contact:

Bradley Angel Susan Chiang Greenaction

(415) 248-5010

Greenaction Calls On Government Officials to Stop Giving Chronic Polluter More Chances; Demands Shut Down of Incinerators

Oakland, CA -- The environmental justice organization Greenaction today vowed to escalate protests in response to the decision of the State Department of Health Services (DHS) to allow Integrated Environmental Systems (IES) to resume full scale incineration of medical waste at their controversial facility at 499 High Street, Oakland. The state had suspended IES' permit on June 13 for 30 days following the discovery of massive violations at the facility, and the company's subsequent defiance and violation of the state's Cease and Desist Order.

The state DHS today announced they were issuing a 90 day, limited-term permit to begin processing and burning new waste.

"The government must stop giving IES chance after chance to stop their violations, because the violations have continued for year after year," said Bradley Angel, Executive Director of Greenaction for Health and Environmental Justice. "IES has shown their inability to comply with permits and the law, so why does our government keep allowing them to pollute our air with toxic chemicals that threaten community health and our environment?"

As IES has ignored repeated written requests from the Coalition for Healthy Communities and Environmental Justice to meet about community concerns, the coalition will escalate protests in the immediate future. The coalition is comprised of local East Oakland and Alameda residents, teachers and community, health, labor , religious and environmental justice organizations.

"As the government is continuing its cozy relationship with this chronic polluter, the community will immediately begin taking stronger action to stop the toxic threat from the IES incinerators," said Angel.

The IES incinerators regularly emit dioxin, mercury and other highly toxic chemicals and metals into the air from their two incinerators.