Los Angeles, California - Demonstrators have descended upon the streets of Pacific Palisades after the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) revealed how it plans to clean-up after the LA fires in January.

The EPA has revealed a plan to clean up hazardous materials left behind by the fires within a month. To do so, they have opted to use the parking area at Will Rogers Beach as a toxic waste sorting site for the area of Pacific Palisades.

Hundreds of residents have petitioned against the decision, citing dangerous materials such as asbestos, dioxins, and heavy metals as potential contaminants that could damage the soil and enter waterways.

To make matters worse, the chosen beach is a favorite amongst the community.

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Amid the destruction that occurred in January, more than 6,800 structures in the area were lost – and residents don't want anything else ruined.

A local petition organized by activist Ashley Oelsen has seen more than 8,000 signatures and spurred huge protests over the weekend, with demonstrators descending upon the beach and nearby streets.

Hundreds of protesters walked up and down the path alongside the beach while holding signs that read "Save Our Beaches" and "Sort Toxics at the Burn Site," amongst others.

"This decision threatens our ocean, our air, our wildlife, and our health," read the petition, which called for offsetting damage with "immediate environmental remediation efforts."

"The ash, soot, and toxic debris from the Palisades Fire have already infiltrated our shoreline, yet no large-scale cleanup has been conducted. Instead of addressing this crisis, the EPA is bringing even more toxic waste to our coast."

The EPA is focusing on the first phase in its plan to rebuild in the aftermath of January's fires. This involves the removal of all hazardous material from the area, a task which it has deployed more than 1,000 people to undertake.

In the press release which revealed the plan to use Will Rogers State Beach for Phase One, the EPA justified the choice by explaining that "it has enough space to safely stage household hazardous materials before transport, is flat, and is accessible to trucks used for transport."

They pressed the point that no long-term storage will occur near the beach and that it is not being used as a "waste disposal site," just temporary storage for hazardous waste.

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Items stored at the site will include "batteries, propane tanks, paints, pesticides, and aerosol cans," among others. They will be "isolated and safely packaged in appropriate containers on-site before being transported."

The protestors and petitioners aren't having any of it, though, explaining that "our coastline is one of the last places of refuge for all people, regardless of income. It is not a dumping ground for the EPA’s convenience."

"We demand accountability. We demand transparency. We demand a safer, science-backed approach to wildfire debris cleanup," they added.