Los Angeles City Attorney Mike Feuer, along with the California Environment Protection Agency and other state regulators, filed criminal charges Friday against five metal plating businesses in Boyle Heights over environmental violations they say pose a public safety threat.

The charges stem from an investigation that was part of an Environmental Justice Compliance and Enforcement Initiative aimed at businesses that pollute in underserved communities.

The establishments charged are: Nature’s Design, 1318 Velasco St.; Bronze-Way Plating Corp., 3532 E. 15th St.; Grana Industrial Finishers Inc., 3524 E. 14th St.; California Electroplating Inc., 3510 E. Pico Blvd. and Chromal Plating, 1748 Workman St.

Inspections of the businesses were conducted in August and September. The charges include illegal disposal of hazardous waste and the unsafe storage of toxic chemicals which could lead to fires or explosions, according to Feuer’s office.

“Families in every Los Angeles neighborhood deserve to be protected from dangerous toxins that threaten their health and safety,” Feuer said in a statement.

The owners at all of the businesses, with the exception of Nature’s Design, could face a maximum of six months in jail and a $1,000 fine if convicted.

The owner of Nature’s Design, Carlos Leong, 72, was charged after a container of potassium cyanide was allegedly found in a trash receptacle in his building during an inspection. His business was found guilty of illegally disposing of hazardous waste seven years ago. He had to pay more than $80,000 in penalties and fines, according to Feuer’s office.

Leong, a native of the Philippines, said he is taken aback by the new charges.

“They checked my facility, and they found an empty box with the label ‘potassium cyanide,’ ” Leong said. “But it was empty because I’d already used it, and they made a big deal about it. It’s just an empty box.”

He could face up to one year in jail and a $100,000 fine if convicted.

All of the business owners are scheduled to be arraigned on Jan. 14.

In addition to Boyle Heights, Los Angeles is also considering new regulations for businesses in Pacoima and Wilmington under the Clean Up Green Up plan which focuses on helping businesses reduce and prevent environmental pollution.