Paint Spill Requires MBFD Clean-Up

A person who spilled about a half gallon of paint in their vehicle and then attempted to wash it out was cited Sunday for improper disposal of hazardous waste, said Battalion Chief Frank Chiella of the Manhattan Beach Fire Department. The contaiminated water was running down the gutters to the storm drain at 15th Street and Ardmore Avenue.

The incident took place around 5 p.m. and MBFD and the city's public works department completed the clean up around 6:30 p.m., said Chiella.

The half gallon of paint, said to be in a trunk, turned into "a couple hundred gallons of contaminated water," said Chiella, due to dilution.

MBFD and city staff "dyked up" the storm drain, applied an absorbent to the water and used a vacuum to clean up everything, he said.

The citation enables the city to submit clean-up costs for the spill to the offending party, and requires the cited individual to make a court appearance.