Redwood City Firm Sued Over Dumping Of Toxic Waste

San Mateo County prosecutors are suing a Redwood City construction company they claim illegally dumped five barrels of hazardous materials in a garbage bin.

The lawsuit alleges that three sanitation workers were sent to a hospital after the containers exploded in their garbage truck, spewing a cloud of toxic gas into the air.

The San Francisco Chronicle reported the complaint was filed Monday in San Mateo County Superior Court. It seeks to recover cleanup costs and $200,000 fines.

The lawsuit alleges that Pellarin Construction Group Inc. maintained an unsafe working environment that led employees to intentionally dispose of old waste in an unsafe manner.

Company President Arron Pellarin says his firm disputes the lawsuit’s facts and looks forward to a jury hearing its side of the case.