TORRES MARTINEZ PESTICIDE, CA
Nr. 67900 Fillmore Street
Near the Town of Mecca, CA 92274

 Latitude: 33.6402638
Longitude: -116.1422353

Only a dirt road and nearby irrigation ditch give away this location. This was by far one of the more difficult areas to locate. It is invisible and directly adjacent to agricultural land. There are no signs, no markers, and no history provided of the trace elements of  poison present or leaching in to the ground and water supply.

On December 12, 2011, EPA’s Tribal Solid Waste Team referred a pesticide site to ERS. On January 5, 2012, the BIA requested assistance for the cleanup of the site. The site was located on the Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indian Reservation. Pesticides including Sevin 10 Dust, a carbamate insecticide, Botran 6, a chlorinated fungicide and Sulfur dusting powder were abandoned on vacant land. There were approximately 14 pallets each containing 50 bags weighing 50 lbs each. It was apparent the bagged pesticides had been there for a number of years. The bags of the top layer were deteriorating badly and a number of bags were broken open and spilling onto the ground. The site was unsecured and in close proximity to a pubic road.

The OSC used delegated authority and initiated a removal action on January 12, 2012.