Los Angeles, California – A long-standing battle between Watts residents and a metal recycling facility accused of endangering the community has reached a major turning point . On Monday, a Los Angeles judge ordered S&W Atlas Iron & Metal Co. to immediately stop accepting and processing new materials, effectively shutting down its operations.
The facility, located next to Jordan High School, has faced years of scrutiny over alleged pollution, hazardous waste disposal, and safety violations. The situation escalated following an e xplosion on August 12, 2024—just ten minutes before first period on the first day of school—rattling classrooms and raising fresh concerns about the facility’s impact on students and residents.
Atlas Metals, which opened in the 1940s, has long been accused of environmental and safety violations. Prosecutors claim the company has knowingly endangered students and residents by allowing sharp metal projectiles, metallic dust, and other hazardous debris to be released from its facility. The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) has supported these allegations, stating that the company’s negligence has been a danger for years…