Air District, Alameda County DA sue Radius Recycling over 2023 West Oakland fire
The Bay Area Air Quality Management District and Alameda County District Attorney Ursula Jones Dickson filed a joint civil lawsuit Thursday against Radius Recycling over air quality violations stemming from a large fire at its West Oakland facility in August 2023.
The suit seeks penalties and an injunction following the Aug. 9-10, 2023 blaze, which regulators say was fueled by the company's failure to follow key fire prevention measures.
Investigators found Radius accepted excess scrap metal while its shredder was offline. However, they stored the material in areas lacking water cannons and heat sensors, both required by its air permit, a press release stated.
"Radius Recycling's actions endangered the health and well-being of the West Oakland community," said Dr. Philip Fine, executive officer of the Air District. "This lawsuit reflects our commitment to holding polluters accountable."
District Attorney Jones Dickson said the action seeks to enforce environmental protections and prevent future toxic emissions in the area, which has long suffered from pollution.
Radius was fined $575,000 in 2024 for startup violations but is now operating in compliance.
