Lineage Logistics set to miss deadline for Boyle Heights warehouse food cleanup
City says Lineage will not meet cleanup deadline
Under an executive directive issued in July, Bass gave Lineage a deadline to clear out food waste, which is expected to expire at 5 p.m. Friday.
LOS ANGELES - Lineage Logistics is expected to miss a key city deadline Friday to clear thousands of tons of spoiled food from its fire-damaged Boyle Heights cold storage facility.
Neighborhood residents continue to endure severe odor complaints, fly infestations, and rodent activity as city and county officials demand immediate accountability.
What we know:
Despite an executive order from Mayor Karen Bass setting a Friday 5 p.m. deadline, a Lineage Logistics executive confirmed the cleanup would not be complete, though the company insists it still has a week left to comply.
As of Wednesday, Lineage reported removing roughly 93% of the bulk food waste and has committed between $80 million and $100 million toward the total cleanup efforts.
The surrounding community has felt a severe impact throughout the process, with the South Coast Air Quality Management District receiving over 4,200 odor complaints between July 12 and August 5 and issuing 25 notices of violation.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE:
- Lineage Logistics ordered to address odors after Boyle Heights warehouse fire
- AQMD hears public testimony on Lineage Storage odors as residents raise ongoing health concerns
- LA Councilwoman introduces motions to help Boyle Heights residents impacted by Lineage fire
In response to the pest surge, Lineage has distributed fly traps to residents while a pest control service installs nearly 600 traps in public spaces.
Meanwhile, state lawmakers have announced proposed legislation to increase fines and mandate contingency funds for cold storage facilities.
What we don't know:
It's unclear what specific legal or financial penalties Mayor Karen Bass will levy against Lineage Logistics for missing the initial food waste removal deadline.
Boyle Heights residents demand accountability
A candlelight vigil was held in Boyle Heights as this week marked well over a month since a nearby Lineage warehouse caught fire and left the community with air quality concern and long list of problems with the neighbors' living situations.
Officials have not confirmed the exact date when all remaining bulk food waste will be fully extracted from the property.
What they're saying:
Bass pledged to "use every resource at my disposal to demand compliance and hold Lineage accountable for every day that Boyle Heights residents are forced to breathe putrid air and deal with the flies and rats, because of the company's negligence," she wrote on social media.
City Councilwoman Ysabel Jurado expressed deep anger over the delays, stating, "For nearly two months, families in Boyle Heights have lived with unbearable odors, flies and pests, truck traffic, uncertainty, and disruption to their homes, businesses, and daily lives. They were told there was a deadline, and they had every right to expect that deadline to mean something."
Representing the company, Lineage Logistics Chief Operating Officer Jeff Rivera defended the progress, stating, "We continue to make meaningful progress against this massive cleanup effort every single day, and we will keep working until the job is done."
County Supervisor Hilda Solis also criticized the pace of the response, noting, "I am disheartened and disappointed that Lineage's cleanup remains incomplete, despite actions that the County of Los Angeles has taken at my direction to accelerate the process."
What's next:
Lineage Logistics faces additional upcoming mandates set forth by the mayor's executive order, requiring the complete removal of structural and construction debris within 90 days.
Following that phase, the company must obtain final environmental clearance within 120 days.
Boyle Heights resident call for evacuation order amid fly problem
Boyle Heights residents are demanding a mandatory evacuation order as tons of rotting food from a June 17 fire at the Lineage cold storage facility cause a severe stench and an explosion of dangerous flies.
State Assemblyman Mark González and Senator María Elena Durazo will also advance legislative proposals to enforce higher fines and stricter requirements on cold storage operations.
The Source: This report is based on statements provided by Lineage Logistics executives, public social media posts and official press releases from Mayor Karen Bass, Councilwoman Ysabel Jurado, and Supervisor Hilda Solis, along with public regulatory records from the South Coast Air Quality Management District and reporting by the Los Angeles Times.