The degree of protection required by this division is considered reasonable for regulatory purposes. The standards set forth herein are minimal standards and this division does not imply that compliance will ensure that there will be no unauthorized discharge of hazardous material. This division shall not create liability on the part of the county, any officer or employee thereof for any damages that result from reliance on this division or any administrative decision lawfully made thereunder. All persons handling, storing, using, processing, and disposing of hazardous materials within the county should be and are advised to determine to their own satisfaction the level of protection in addition to that required by this division necessary or desirable to ensure that there is no unauthorized discharge of hazardous materials. (Ord. 83-0208 § 1 (part), 1983: Ord. 83-0206U § 1 (part), 1983.)

Guidelines and standards may be established by the director and shall be maintained in the office of the director and shall be available to the public. Such guidelines and standards, in the areas addressed therein, shall serve as an interpretation of this division. (Ord. 97-0016 § 77, 1997: Ord. 83-0208 § 1 (part), 1983: Ord. 83-0206U § 1 (part), 1983.)

A. If an applicant or permittee believes that a request for information made by either the application form or otherwise pursuant to this division involves the release of a trade secret, the applicant or permittee shall so notify the director in writing. As used herein, “trade secret” shall have the meaning given to it by Section 6254(K) of the Government Code.
B. Subject to the provisions of this section, the director shall protect from disclosure any trade secret coming into his possession when requested to do so in writing by the applicant or permittee. Any such trade secret shall not be disclosed to anyone without the consent of the applicant or permittee except:
1. To an officer or employee of the county, the CUPA, the state of California, or the United States of America, in connection with the official duties of such officer or employee under any law for the protection of health, or to contractors with the county and their employees, if in the opinion of the director such disclosure is necessary and required for the satisfactory performance of a contract for performance of work or for protection of health; or
2. To any physician where the physician determines that such information is necessary to the medical treatment of his or her patient.
C. Information certified by appropriate officials of the United States, as necessarily kept secret for national defense purposes, shall be accorded the full protection against disclosure as specified by such official or in accordance with the laws of the United States.
D. The provisions of this section shall not permit an applicant or permittee to refuse to disclose information required pursuant to this division to the director.
E. The confidential treatment of the identity of such trade secret disclosed to the county does not apply where there has been any unauthorized discharge related to such trade secret material which is reportable in compliance with Chapter 11.76 or where such disclosure arises out of any official emergency response relating to the facility involving such trade secret information by public safety personnel of the county. (Ord. 97-0016 § 78, 1997: Ord. 83-0208 § 1 (part), 1983: Ord. 83-0206U § 1 (part), 1983.)

Notwithstanding any other provision of this division:
A. If the facility is required to have an industrial waste disposal permit pursuant to Title 20, Division 2 of this code, an industrial wastewater discharge permit pursuant to the wastewater ordinance of the sanitation districts of Los Angeles County, or an industrial waste disposal permit from any other sewering agency within the county of Los Angeles, it shall be exempted from the provisions of this division provided the conditions and limitations of such permit satisfy the requirements of this division and the director finds that the facility does not pose a threat to water quality.
B. No provision of this division shall be construed to supersede any other provisions of this county code. (Ord. 97-0016 § 80, 1997: Ord. 84-0046 § 8, 1984: Ord. 83-0208 § 1 (part), 1983: Ord. 83-0206U § 1 (part), 1983.)