IT Corporation was a

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

industrial company whose principal business was the disposal of industrial

hazardous waste Hazardous waste is waste that must be handled properly to avoid damaging human health or the environment. Waste can be hazardous because it is Toxicity, toxic, Chemical reaction, reacts violently with other chemicals, or is Corrosion, corrosive, ...

. At least as early as the 1970s the company was one of the largest market share holders of the liquid hazardous waste disposal sector in the western U.S. One of the principal facilities was a large set of industrial waste disposal ponds in

Martinez, California Martinez (Spanish language, Spanish: ''Martínez'') is a city in and the county seat of Contra Costa County, California, United States, in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area. Located on the southern shore of the Carquinez Strai ...

. The business activities of IT fell under strict regulation by the

Bay Area Air Quality Management District The Bay Area Air District (BAAD), formerly Bay Area Air Quality Management District or BAAQMD, is a public agency that regulates the stationary sources of air pollution in the nine counties of California's San Francisco Bay Area: Alameda County, ...

and the State of California Regional Water Quality Control Board, as well as the

Contra Costa County Contra Costa County (; ''Contra Costa'', Spanish language, Spanish for 'Opposite Coast') is a U.S. county, county located in the U.S. state of California, in the East Bay of the San Francisco Bay Area. As of the 2020 United States census, the ...

Health Department.

Air quality oversight

The proximity of the Martinez ponds to sensitive receptors including residences, led to

odor An odor (American English) or odour ( Commonwealth English; see spelling differences) is a smell or a scent caused by one or more volatilized chemical compounds generally found in low concentrations that humans and many animals can perceive ...

complaints from individuals, especially on low wind velocity days when the ponds were upwind of residences. IT established an "on call" air monitoring response to test

whenever the city of Martinez received a citizen complaint. These tests, together with routine periodic monitoring, provided an extensive database to assist in managing waste pond decision-making.

Water quality oversight

To protect groundwater, IT conducted regular groundwater and waste pond sampling to test for a range of analytes as well as pH. These test results were submitted to the county health department and the state water board. Generally water quality testing confirmed the satisfactory operation of IT's liner control program.

Bankruptcy sale on winding up business

In early 2002, after IT declared bankruptcy, substantially all IT assets and some liabilities were sold to the Shaw Group. Prior its bankruptcy, IT Corporation was involved in the Encanto Gas Holder decommissioning for

San Diego Gas and Electric San Diego Gas & Electric (SDGE or SDG&E) is a regulated public utility that provides natural gas and electricity to San Diego County, California, San Diego County and southern Orange County, California, Orange County in southwestern California, ...

, and the IT project manager for the decommissioning is a named defendant in the environmental crimes trial ''United States v. San Diego Gas and Electric'' (2007).SDG&E asbestos-removal trial begins
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Air quality oversight

Water quality oversight

Bankruptcy sale on winding up business

References

See also