The Environmental Protection Agency has been directed to address the immediate hazards posed by properties affected by the wildfires in California. This action follows a request from California Governor Gavin Newsom for the federal government to eliminate all household hazardous waste, as announced by FEMA Region IX Administrator Robert Fenton, Jr. on Wednesday.
FEMA has earmarked $100 million to kickstart the cleanup efforts, with plans to deploy 40 teams comprising around 500 personnel in the coming days. These teams will focus on the removal of various everyday products such as paints, cleaners, solvents, oils, batteries, pesticides, larger asbestos debris, pressurized fuel cylinders, and lithium-ion batteries.
