Sangani

Leedy Plating Corporation, a metal plating plant located on San Leandro Street in Oakland. Both Sangani and Leedy Plating were charged by information with six criminal violations of the California Hazardous Waste Control Act (hereafter the Hazardous Waste Act). (Health & Saf. Code, § 25100 et seq.; Cal. Code Regs., former tit. 22, § 66001 et seq.) The Hazardous Waste Act regulates the transportation and disposal of hazardous waste in California and imposes criminal liability for violation of certain of its provisions. (§§25189.5 to 25191; People v. Martin (1989) 211 Cal.App.3d 699, 703 [ 259 Cal.Rptr. 770 , 86 A.L.R.4th 383 ].)

The prosecution case focused on two felony violations of the Hazardous Waste Act. First, the evidence showed that Sangani or his employees surreptitiously dumped hazardous waste from Leedy Plating directly into the East Bay sewer system. This was a violation of section 25189.5, subdivisions (a) and (b), which prohibit the disposal of any hazardous waste at a nonpermitted facility. Second, the evidence established that Sangani recklessly stored cyanide-laced liquid waste in an open tank on a public sidewalk. This was a violation of section 25189.6,…