Silicon Valley’s Toxic Past

EAST PALO ALTO—Silicon Valley is home to one of the nation’s heaviest concentrations of toxic-waste sites. The costly effects of the region’s tainted industrial past can be seen in this city’s eastern outskirts.

Here a residential neighborhood sits 2,000 feet from a toxic-waste site once used as a chemicals-processing plant run by Romic Environmental Technologies Corp. Romic processed hazardous materials like solvents, fuels and inks from local technology companies and other manufacturers for nearly 50 years. The facility was closed in 2007 after a series of environmental and safety violations. Romic paid fines in two cases, but admitted to no. . . (more)