HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. – Nancy Buchoz has lived in Huntington Beach since 1976. She attended Edison High, and still lives in the same home she raised her family in.

“What happening now isn’t safe…not beneficial to anyone’s health in this area,” Buchoz said, peering over her backyard fence at one of the toxic waste pits across the street.

Until earlier this year, when the Ascon landfill clean up started, she loved living here. But over the past few months, particulates and odors have consumed much of her life.

Since June, 6, the remediation of the Ascon toxic waste landfill across the street from Edison High School have been suspended until further enhancements can be made. This action was taken after over 150 complaints were called in form the surrounding community, demanding more oversight and regulation on the clean-up process.

Buchoz's neighbor Richard Fancher, a retired chemist and accredited by the American Chemistry Council, has also felt sick. After reading through the data released to the public, he doesn’t believe that the authorities are being completely transparent about their findings, especially the lead data.

“The lead data showed levels that were about 90 percent of what is considered safe, but there is no safe level of lead,” Fancher emphasized.

The landfill was in use between 1938 and 1984, serving as a dump for oil production, industrial waste, and later, construction waste.

“This whole tract was known as the cancer tract, and its like, I have neighbors that have developed thyroid cancers, we have had neighbors who have had walking pneumonia," said Buchoz. "So who would buy my house here? I wouldn’t have thought in a million years that everything over there could possibly migrate here."

Buchoz and Fancher have been vocalizing their concerns at community meetings, city meetings and on social media in an attempt to galvanize the community.

Clean up could resume after the enhancements are met, but only time will tell…

As of August 19, 2019 one of the enhancements, the installation of the 16-ft barrier fence is underway and is expected to take two to three weeks to finish.

For more information, visit www.AsconHB.com 

Or call the Ascon project hotline: 714-388-1825.