Strange stench hangs over Orange County by toxic chemical tank

A strange fruity smell could linger over parts of Orange County this week as crews work to remove chemicals from the Garden Grove aerospace facility at the center of last month’s evacuation scare.

Cleanup at the GKN Aerospace facility is still underway, with the Orange County Health Care Agency, South Coast Air Quality Management District and GKN Aerospace overseeing the work.

However, the immediate threat from a damaged storage tank holding methyl methacrylate, or MMA, has been resolved.

The tank sparked widespread concern in May when fears of a potential chemical leak or explosion forced thousands of residents from their homes for several days.

Officials later said the immediate danger was eliminated when a crack in the tank triggered a pressure release.

Between Thursday and Friday, neutralized MMA is scheduled to be pumped from storage tanks and transferred directly into sealed trucks for transport and disposal, according to the OC Health Care Agency.

Residents nearby may notice unusual odors during the process.

“Temporary, intermittent odors may occur during this activity. MMA has a distinctive fruity or plastic-like odor,” the agency said in a news release.

Officials stressed that MMA has a low odor threshold, so people can detect its odor even at concentrations well below levels linked to health concerns.

Air monitoring is continuing both at the facility perimeter and throughout the surrounding neighborhood as crews work to safely remove the remaining material.

“The first few days of cleanup included portions of the neutralized MMA being removed, wastewater sampling and testing for proper disposal as well as ongoing air monitoring and tank temperature readings to ensure stability and safety,” the OC Health Care Agency said.

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