Steve Kalinog
Appearances
NPR News Now
NPR News: 01-17-2025 7PM EST
In the wildfires, regular household items got burned with intense heat. That can turn things like pesticides and propane tanks into explosions and toxic leaks waiting to happen. So the cleanup starts with hazardous waste removal run by the Environmental Protection Agency. Steve Kalinog is their deputy incident commander for the Southern California wildfires.
NPR News Now
NPR News: 01-17-2025 7PM EST
One of his main concerns is lithium-ion batteries from electric cars.
NPR News Now
NPR News: 01-17-2025 7PM EST
Hazardous waste crews wear safety equipment, come with air monitors, and they're trained to deal with dangerous materials like asbestos. Given the dangers, Kalinog says residents should not attempt this cleanup themselves.