State Cleans Nearly 6,500 Lead-Contaminated Homes
Owners near the former Vernon battery plant with eligible properties should check whether cleanup is still pending for them.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Home Cleaning
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California has finished cleanup of nearly 6,500 homes contaminated with lead from the former Exide battery plant in Vernon. The state has spent more than half a billion dollars on the work, which covers eligible properties where owners granted access.
Why it matters
Lead from the Exide plant settled into soil around thousands of nearby homes, creating a long-term exposure risk for families in Southeast Los Angeles. Clearing contaminated yards and shared spaces removes a hazard that homeowners could not safely address on their own.
The state has completed work at all 12 schools, 68 child care centers, and five parks in the project, and cleaned more than 7,800 street and sidewalk areas. About 1,500 eligible properties still await completed cleanup, compared with nearly 6,500 homes already finished.
The players
Exide Technologies
Operator of the Vernon battery recycling plant whose lead pollution contaminated nearby homes, which filed for bankruptcy in 2020.
State of California
The state government that has spent more than half a billion dollars on the cleanup of contaminated homes, schools, and parks.
The details
The state performs cleanup only on properties where owners have granted access, covering residential yards, schools, child care centers, parks, and areas along streets and sidewalks. The Exide battery recycling plant in Vernon released toxic lead that contaminated soil around thousands of homes before it shut down in 2015 after years of environmental violations. Exide filed for bankruptcy in 2020, and the state took on the cleanup work from there.
Timeline
Decades before 2015: the Exide plant recycled lead-acid batteries and released pollution.
2015: the Exide plant shut down after years of violations.
2020: Exide filed for bankruptcy and the state took on the cleanup.
- 2026-11-06
Governor Newsom announced nearly 6,500 homes had been cleaned.
The Home Front
The cleanup shows how a single industrial site can leave a lasting contamination burden on residential neighborhoods long after the facility closes. Because the state absorbed the work after Exide's 2020 bankruptcy, the costs now sit with public funds rather than the former operator.
If your property is in the Vernon or Southeast Los Angeles area, check whether it was among the eligible properties tied to the Exide cleanup, since about 1,500 still await work. For any home with a history of nearby industrial lead release, consider having soil and dust tested by a qualified environmental professional before gardening or renovating.
The takeaway
Lead contamination can linger in soil for decades after a plant closes, so living near a former industrial site is worth a professional look. Keep records of any soil or cleanup notices tied to your property, since they can matter for future renovation or sale.
Further reading
For more on keeping living spaces free of contaminants, see Home Cleaning in our California coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by ABC7.
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