Peninsula Man Gets Jail For Illegal Disposal Of Hazardous Waste

DALY CITY, CA — A San Francisco restaurant service company owner was sentenced Wednesday to probation and jail time after pleading guilty to a felony charge for illegally treating and storing hazardous waste.

Daly City resident John Mingjia Chang, owner of Brighten Restaurant Service Company, was charged in May with 11 felony counts for allegedly training employees to mix and handle lye, a mixture of sodium hydroxide and hot water, despite not being permitted to treat or dispose of hazardous waste.

Prosecutors also alleged that a manager in Chang's company illegally poured the mixture down the drain into the sewer. Chang pleaded guilty to one count of felony illegal treating and storing of hazardous waste. He was sentenced Wednesday to five years adult probation and 90 days county jail time or in a sheriff's work alternative program.

He is also required to pay $22,000 in investigative costs and comply with all terms of probation. Lye, a highly caustic substance that can cause chemical burns, is used in some types of food preparation and as a cleanser.

— By Bay City News Service / Image via Shutterstock