Dozens protest over Palisades Fire debris site at Will Rogers State Beach parking lot

MALIBU, Calif. (KABC) -- Dozens protested Sunday after the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said it plans on using the Will Rogers State Beach parking lot to process hazardous waste from the Palisades Fire.

The protest began at 10 a.m. in Santa Monica then demonstrators marched to the parking lot.

Currently, the EPA is storing hazardous materials at three different sites. The agency has about 1,200 workers split between the Palisades and Eaton fire zones.

The EPA's job is to remove hazardous waste, such as batteries, propane tanks, paints and pesticides, so the Army Corps of Engineers can then clear out the debris and ash. But the thought of placing hazardous waste so close to the water is not sitting well with residents.

Organizers of Sunday's protest believe EPA's decision is "not only short-sighted but also presents significant risks to public health, our ecosystem, and local economy," according to an online petition.

"We recognize the extreme devastation the recent fires have caused-homes reduced to ash, businesses lost, and lives upended. The urgency of cleanup is undeniable. But this decision is not a solution-it is a new crisis," read the petition.

"Toxic contaminants from the wildfire debris could leach into the soil and waterways. Onshore winds will carry hazardous particulates, compromising the air quality where people live, work, and play. The risk to our ocean's health is just as alarming."

Los Angeles City Councilmember Traci Park wants the processing site set up in an area that's already been burned, but the EPA says that won't work because they need a large, flat site with easy access to major roads.

"There's not a lot of flat space in the Palisades and in Malibu, especially in the Palisades Fire in comparison to the Eaton Fire," said EPA Deputy Incident Commander Karl Banks during a town hall meeting on Thursday. "We understand its sensitive, we really understand the importance of these sites, and people are uncomfortable with what we're doing, but all I can say is it is a controlled environment that we create."

Concerns about new contamination along the coast, the agency says, are unfounded. The EPA hopes to start construction of the processing site as soon as possible.

Another protest was held Saturday over the debris processing site at Lario Park.

READ MORE: Palisades Fire debris site at Will Rogers State Beach parking lot draws scrutiny