As fines continue to mount against Lineage Logistics over unsanitary conditions in Boyle Heights, parents and teachers said Wednesday that they remain apprehensive to send children back to the classroom when the new school year begins.
The Los Angeles Unified School District held a seminar for families Wednesday to explain what would be done before schools near the fire site start the new year on Aug. 12.
It is not clear whether Lineage will be able to clear out millions of pounds of rotting food inside the facility. As of last week, the company said nearly half of the food waste, about 40 million pounds, was removed.
In addition to the unbearable stench Boyle Heights neighbors have endured for more than a month, NBCLA exclusively reported this month that a city-commissioned report warned of a fly infestation, particularly involving green bottle flies that can spread serious illnesses.
As inadequate pest control and unsanitary conditions persist, the LA County Department of Public Health said Wednesday that it will fine Lineage up to $2,000 per day, up from the previous $500. The health department said it has issued six citations since July 23.
Since it is not clear whether Lineage will be able to meet the city-mandated deadline and finish removing trash by Aug. 13, community members like Amelia Vallejo are concerned that the warehouse disaster will affect students.
Vallejo, an early education teacher at a school a mile away from the Lineage warehouse, also lives near the burned facility and said she understands what it is like to deal with the stench, rats and flies everyday.
“Our concern right now is that parents are not bringing the students in, and I get it. Why? I know the smell is pretty strong,” Vallejo said. “They need to have all this mess cleaned up before school starts. They need to hurry up. Forget the 45 days that was talked about. It smells really bad.”
According to UTLA, the LAUSD teachers’ union, there are five schools within 1 mile of the warehouse, and 26 schools within 2 miles from the facility.
Rafael Rodriguez, a teacher who also lives in Boyle Heights, said students in the community did not get to enjoy the summer break as they should.
“This year, we are dealing with many students who have spent their whole summer indoors. And this is the time for students to basically to recharge their batteries, to relax. Instead of that, a lot of them are stuck at home,” Rodriguez lamented.
The LAUSD said it’s constantly checking conditions in Boyle Heights as the South Coast Air Quality Management District placed stationary monitors at two schools in the area, including Eastman Avenue Elementary, to check for particulate matter or P-M 2.5 and hydrogen sulfide as well as menthane every hour.