L.A. SETS TOXIC GAS TESTS AT POLY HIGH; TEAM WILL BE SENT TO SUN VALLEY SCHOOL THIS WEEKEND.

Byline: Rick Orlov Staff Writer

Alarmed by the possibility of toxic fumes from a neighboring landfill, city officials said Tuesday they will send a team of inspectors to Francis Polytechnic High School in Sun Valley this weekend to test for any problems.

At the same time, the city is studying what tests it conducts at other landfills for poisonous and carcinogenic chemicals.

``The safety of children is our main concern, but we also don't want to see any panic develop,'' Deputy Mayor Kelly Martin said. ``We first need to get information to determine if there is a problem with any seepage.''

In a letter Friday to the Los Angeles school board and superintendent, Los Angeles Unified School District Chief Administrative Officer David W. Koch wrote: ``Benzene, chlorinated compounds, and several other toxic chemicals have been measured at the landfill.''

Koch also noted vinyl chloride, a poisonous chemical common to landfills, could pose a risk to the safety of children and faculty at the school.

Bureau of Sanitation inspectors will be at Poly High and the surrounding neighborhood this weekend to test for emissions from the Sheldon-Arleta landfill.

``The indication is we have had no problems out there,'' said Lillian Kawasaki, head of the city's Environmental Affairs Department, adding the landfill has been in compliance for methane for the past five years.

``We have not had any indications of problems from the landfill or that there has been any seepage,'' assistant director Drew Sones said.

The Bureau of Sanitation will be working with the Los Angeles Unified School District's safety team to develop the tests to be conducted. They also will be working with the South Coast Air Quality Management District.

Results will be analyzed as quickly as possible and released to the public, probably by Tuesday, Sones said.

Tom Soto, an environmental consultant with the school district, said officials do not believe there is any immediate threat to students or teachers.

``Because we have to coordinate with so many agencies, this weekend is the earliest we can do the tests,'' Soto said.

Councilman Alex Padilla, in whose district the landfill and high school are located, said the city will spare no expense in determining if there is a problem and making any corrections.

In addition, he wants an examination of the air quality standards to determine if they need to be toughened.

``It might be one standard is fine for adults, but another is needed for young people,'' said Padilla, an engineering graduate from MIT.

Padilla said he was informed of the potential problem only late on Monday night.

``These are all my constituents and I want to make sure they are safe,'' Padilla said.

Councilman Joel Wachs, whose district is adjacent to the area, said the city also was prepared to take any steps needed to mitigate problems.

``This is our landfill and we want to make sure it is safe,'' Wachs said.

Soto said procedures to be used would probably involve locating monitors around the school and the neighboring area to measure the air quality and determine whether any chemicals have escaped.

Methane gas is a natural product developed in landfills through the decay of garbage. Sones said normally the gas is either collected as a way to generate electricity or is flared off. However, methane - which is odorless - also can carry dangerous chemicals, including benzene and other toxic chemicals.

``What worries me is that people might be exposed and not even know it,'' Wachs said. ``It's not what you can smell, but what you can't that can cause the problems.''

As a result of the potential for problems, Sones undertook a review of what tests the city does at all its closed landfills.

``So far, we see no problems,'' Sones said. ``We are making sure all the proper tests are being conducted.''

The city no longer has any active landfills as a result of the closure in the early 1990s of the Lopez Canyon facility in Lake View Terrace. Other closed dumps under the city's jurisdiction include Toyon Canyon, Gaffey Street in San Pedro, Bishops Canyon in Elysian Park and Branford Street in the east San Fernando Valley.

Sones said the city tests at each of its landfills for both methane gas and other chemicals.

``We haven't had a report of any problems either in the gas that comes from the landfill or the perimeter wells,'' Sones said. ``We also take quarterly samples and provide that information to the AQMD.''

AQMD officials said they had no indication of any problems from the city facilities.

School board member Caprice Young, who represents a district that includes Poly High, said she became aware of the methane monitoring system on the campus during a tour of the school shortly after taking office on July 1.

Young, with the help of district administrators, has set up a telephone hotline, [phone], that parents and teachers can call to obtain up-to-date information about the situation around Poly and soil and vapor samples scheduled for this weekend.

An informational meeting for parents has been scheduled for 7 p.m. Aug. 3 at the school. School officials also were preparing an advisory message for students to take home to parents.

``I want to make sure that as much information that we have is available to the parents, students, and teachers so we can be sure that there is not undue hysteria,'' Young said.

``We just don't have all the facts,'' Young said. ``The goal this weekend is to get all the relevant information.''

Staff Writer Greg Gittrich contributed to this story.