The Environmental Protection Agency has been directed to address the immediate hazards posed by properties affected by the wildfires in California. This action follows a request from California Governor Gavin Newsom for the federal government to eliminate all household hazardous waste, as announced by FEMA Region IX Administrator Robert Fenton, Jr. on Wednesday.
FEMA has earmarked $100 million to kickstart the cleanup efforts, with plans to deploy 40 teams comprising around 500 personnel in the coming days. These teams will focus on the removal of various everyday products such as paints, cleaners, solvents, oils, batteries, pesticides, larger asbestos debris, pressurized fuel cylinders, and lithium-ion batteries.
The EPA will collaborate closely with state, county, city, and local authorities in the fire-affected regions, including the incident commands of the Palisades and Eaton fires. The primary objective is to eliminate hazards from the area, facilitating the return of survivors to their homes and communities. This initial cleanup phase will pave the way for more extensive debris removal and eventual reconstruction efforts.
