Overview

• California companies and government agencies are avoiding the state's strict environmental regulations by shipping toxic waste across state borders, particularly to Mexico, according to an ongoing investigation by CalMatters.
• The Recicladora Temarry de Mexico plant, located less than two miles across the border from San Diego County, is a major destination for California's hazardous waste. Companies like Tesla, Sherwin-Williams, and Sally Beauty Supplies have long shipped flammable, toxic liquids here for treatment.
• Temarry has faced allegations of mishandling waste and covering up a chemical leak in March 2022. The leak caused headaches and vomiting among residents of the nearby San Pablo neighborhood in Tecate, Mexico.
• Despite these allegations, California's Department of Toxic Substances Control has not intervened, stating that it's up to Mexican authorities to oversee Temarry's operations.
• Residents in the San Pablo community worry about their health and the health of their children due to their proximity to the hazardous waste recycler.