By Emmanuel T. Erediano
Variety News Staff

AFTER the arrest of a recycling firm owner for buying stolen copper wire, the Division of Environmental Quality is now keeping an eye on the same junkyard in Puerto Rico suspected of committing an environmental offense.
DEQ’s toxic waste management said it has visited the facility a number of times following the arrest of Quan Huang on Feb. 2.
Huang, the owner of Huang Zheng Corp., was arrested after he bought copper wire from a cooperating defendant.
DEQ environmental technician Joseph Javier said the last time they inspected the facility was yesterday morning.
He refused to comment on the result of their inspection, saying he was not allowed to release information to the media.
DEQ spokeswoman Reina Camacho said there was a notice of violation for the recycling firm.
Camacho declined to reveal whether the notice has been served saying the matter is still under investigation.
She neither confirmed nor denied that DEQ personnel found violations at the facility.
Camacho also did not say what prompted DEQ to investigate the recycling firm’s facility.
Over a dozen car batteries were seen piled at the junkyard when this reporter visited the facility last week.
One of the workers who identified himself as Noel Marcelino started putting the batteries away upon seeing Variety’s photographer.
Marcelino said he often sees DEQ personnel coming in since his boss was arrested.
When this reporter tried to take pictures of the car batteries, two men blocked the way.