Council accepts committee recommendation to reject proposed hazardous-waste contract after questions about continuity and procurement

The Los Angeles City Council voted 11-0 on April 11 to accept the Public Safety Committee—report recommending disapproval of the proposed agreement for hazardous and oily-waste collection services (the vendor named in committee materials was Clean Harbors). The vote adopted the committee—report and thereby did not approve the contract on the terms presented.

Why it mattered: council members and fire-department staff warned that rejecting the contract without an operational contingency could interrupt hazardous-waste collection services at fire stations and commercial facilities; fire officials said some vendors have been operating without a current contract for months and that stopping service would create public-safety and environmental hazards.

The nut graf: Fire Department representatives told the council they have provided…