Exide Technologies’ Vernon automotive lead battery recycling plant in the US state of California has stood idle since March 2014, when the company was denied an extension to comply with a new air quality regulation (District Rule 1420.1 from the South Coast Air Quality Management District, or AQMD) that requires the plant’s furnaces to operate under continuous negative pressure from 10 April. Mothballing the facility saw 20 salaries employees and 104 hourly workers receiving temporary layoff notices. The company has now released a statement regarding the board’s approval of new orders and Exide’s plans in relation to the Vernon facility.