The planned removal of a toxic chemical from storage tanks at GKN Aerospace in Garden Grove, where mass evacuations were ordered last week due to overheating in one of the tanks, was officially postponed Friday “due to unavailable resources.”
A new date for the operation, which had been scheduled to begin Thursday, was not immediately announced.
“Once a removal date is confirmed, advance notice will be provided to the community with important information, including the potential odors during the activity,” according to a statement from the Orange County Health Care Agency.
Workers were planning to remove methyl methacrylate, or MMA, from two tanks next to the one that was damaged at GKN Aerospace. HCA spokeswoman Salma Elshakre said Thursday the operation was stalled due to a delay in delivery of sealed trucks needed for the job.
When the operation occurs, workers will pump the MMA out of two storage tanks and into the sealed trucks, which will take the chemicals away for disposal.
Officials said the chemical has a “distinctive fruity or plastic-like odor” that nearby residents might smell, but most people may not even notice. Officials are continuing to monitor the air around the plant to make sure it adheres to public safety measures.
Thousands of residents in Garden Grove and Stanton had to leave their homes for days during the Memorial Day Weekend as authorities worked to neutralize the MMA at 12122 Western Ave. amid fears it would lead to an explosion.
Ultimately a crack in the damaged tank wound up relieving pressure inside, negating the risk of explosion.
HCA officials announced Friday that while crews were emptying an unrelated stormwater tank at the GKN facility, a small spill occurred and about 50 gallons of stormwater flowed into a storm drain. Authorities took a sample of the spilled stormwater for testing, but they insisted “the potential for any trace amounts of MMA to be found in the stormwater is low.”
The Garden Grove City Council discussed the emergency response during its meeting Thursday, and called on GKN officials to attend a meeting next week to update the community on what they plan to do to address the fallout from the situation.
Reading from a letter to the company, Mayor Stephanie Klopfenstein said the emergency “caused significant hardship to many in our community and placed first responders in a dangerous and volatile situation. … The community needs to understand how this incident happened and what steps are being taken to ensure an incident like this does not happen again.”
City Councilwoman Yesenia Muneton pushed for a specific date for a company representative to address the council, prompting the council to decide on next Tuesday’s meeting.
“They should respond to our community ASAP,” said Councilman Phillip Nguyen.
He said residents living paycheck to paycheck were “hurt badly” so he wants to hear from GKN and for the company to “pay out more and more equitably to our community.”
GKN Aerospace announced Wednesday it had donated $3 million to the United Way’s OC Community Resilience Fund to assist residents who were impacted by the evacuations. The company also committed another $1 million for “broader community initiatives” across the county. GKN previously donated $1 million to the Red Cross when the evacuations were still in effect.
Councilwoman Ariana Arestegui said the $3 million the company pledged was for a “mutual aid fund… for folks having a really hard time immediately. … While this $3 million will help some folks… it is not a refund or reimbursement.”
Orange County Board of Supervisors Chairman Doug Chaffee said he was “disappointed” the company did not establish a more formal claims procedure for residents to access.
“I feel they’re remiss in not doing that because now they’re facing the litigation, which is more expensive,” Chaffee said. “They could get all of the minor claims out of the way.”
He called the $3 million a “drop in the bucket.”