Orange County agency postpones toxic chemical cleanup in Garden Grove

Cleanup of a toxic chemical from storage tanks in Garden Grove has been postponed because “some needed resources” were unavailable. The Orange County Health Care Agency did not say when the cleanup would start.

Last month, a chemical leak in a storage tank owned by GKN Aerospace forced about 50,000 nearby residents to evacuate. Officials had originally scheduled to remove the neutralized methyl methacrylate, a chemical used in plastics manufacturing, to begin Thursday, June 4.

The postponement comes as Garden Grove leaders are demanding more answers from GKN Aerospace, the company that owns the storage tanks. During a special meeting Thursday, City Council members and Mayor Stephanie Klopfenstein called on the company to address the public at their meeting next week.

“The City of Garden Grove expects accountability. The community should not be left to absorb the consequences of this incident without answers, support, and a clear commitment from GKN to prevent future harm,” Klopfenstein said as she read a letter addressed to the company.

Earlier this week, the company said it’s giving $3 million to a community fund through United Way to help affected residents, but officials said it was not enough.  

”While it will help some folks in the immediate nature, it is not a refund or a reimbursement for everyone in their times of financial stress and for the hardship that they experienced,” Councilmember Ariana Arestegui said.