Hundreds of angry residents who live near the Chiquita Canyon Landfill in Castaic are waiting for answers about the future operations of the landfill that has been polluting neighboring communities for months.
Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger addressed the members of the community at a meeting about the landfill Monday at Castaic Middle School. She told members of the community the landfill is going to close in a month or two, and it will be reducing its solid waste volume by Jan. 1. That means it will reduce its intake by about 50% at the start of 2025, per an agreement previously reached by the landfill operators and the county. The landfill asked for an extension to the agreed upon date. Barger told the people at the meeting the deadline would not be extended.
The operators of the landfill have sued the county in part because the deadline was not extended.
“I’m hearing that the county will not take on Waste Connections because we’re afraid of being sued again. That is not true,” Barger said at the meeting.
The landfill has been the source of complaints from nearby residents for overwhelming odors and air, land and water pollution two years. The landfill has been cited, warned and monitored for violating environmental regulations and codes and contributing to documented air and water pollution in nearby communities in Val Verde, Castaic and Santa Clarita.
Area resident Jennifer Elkins speaks as daughter Kayleigh, 11-years old, stands beside her during a news conference with neighbors and community leaders to discuss the health impacts from Chiquita Canyon Landfill at Hasley Canyon Park, in Castaic on Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
People hold signs during a news conference with neighbors and community leaders to discuss the health impacts from Chiquita Canyon Landfill at Hasley Canyon Park, in Castaic on Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Area resident Darcy Stinson, speaks about his suffering health during a news conference with neighbors and community leaders to discuss the health impacts from Chiquita Canyon Landfill at Hasley Canyon Park, in Castaic on Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Assemblywoman Pilar Schiavo, D-Chatsworth, listens to community members speak during a news conference with neighbors and community leaders to discuss the health impacts from Chiquita Canyon Landfill at Hasley Canyon Park, in Castaic on Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Nathan Elkins, 8-years old, holds as sign during a news conference with neighbors and community leaders to discuss the health impacts from Chiquita Canyon Landfill at Hasley Canyon Park, in Castaic on Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Assemblywoman Pilar Schiavo, D-Chatsworth, speaks during a news conference with neighbors and community leaders to discuss the health impacts from Chiquita Canyon Landfill at Hasley Canyon Park, in Castaic on Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Trucks line up to unload at the Chiquita Canyon Landfill on Tuesday, June 11, 2024. The Chiquita Canyon Landfill operators have been notified they are in violation of the federal Clean Air Act by the EPA. The EPA report shows that the landfill is emitting toxic gasses such as benzene and volatile organic compounds which contribute to the formation of ozone which can cause lung damage. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Trucks line up to unload at the Chiquita Canyon Landfill with Six Flags Superman ride visible in the background on Tuesday, June 11, 2024. The Chiquita Canyon Landfill operators have been notified they are in violation of the federal Clean Air Act by the EPA. The EPA report shows that the landfill is emitting toxic gasses such as benzene and volatile organic compounds which contribute to the formation of ozone which can cause lung damage. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Trucks unload waste at the Chiquita Canyon Landfill on Tuesday, June 11, 2024. The Chiquita Canyon Landfill operators have been notified they are in violation of the federal Clean Air Act by the EPA. The EPA report shows that the landfill is emitting toxic gasses such as benzene and volatile organic compounds which contribute to the formation of ozone which can cause lung damage. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Trucks unload waste at the Chiquita Canyon Landfill on Tuesday, June 11, 2024. The Chiquita Canyon Landfill operators have been notified they are in violation of the federal Clean Air Act by the EPA. The EPA report shows that the landfill is emitting toxic gasses such as benzene and volatile organic compounds which contribute to the formation of ozone which can cause lung damage. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Large covers in place over the Chiquita Canyon Landfill on Tuesday, June 11, 2024. The Chiquita Canyon Landfill operators have been notified they are in violation of the federal Clean Air Act by the EPA. The EPA report shows that the landfill is emitting toxic gasses such as benzene and volatile organic compounds which contribute to the formation of ozone which can cause lung damage. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Large covers in place over the Chiquita Canyon Landfill on Tuesday, June 11, 2024. The Chiquita Canyon Landfill operators have been notified they are in violation of the federal Clean Air Act by the EPA. The EPA report shows that the landfill is emitting toxic gasses such as benzene and volatile organic compounds which contribute to the formation of ozone which can cause lung damage. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Trucks unload waste at the Chiquita Canyon Landfill on Tuesday, June 11, 2024. The Chiquita Canyon Landfill operators have been notified they are in violation of the federal Clean Air Act by the EPA. The EPA report shows that the landfill is emitting toxic gasses such as benzene and volatile organic compounds which contribute to the formation of ozone which can cause lung damage. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
People hold signs during a news conference at Hasley Canyon Park in Castaic to announce the Citizens for Chiquita Canyon Closure filing a writ against the County to call for the immediate closure of the landfill, and mitigation of impacts on the community.on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
President of the Val Verde Civic Association Erica Larsen speaks during a news conference at Hasley Canyon Park in Castaic to announce the Citizens for Chiquita Canyon Closure filing a writ against the County to call for the immediate closure of the landfill, and mitigation of impacts on the community.on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
People hold signs during a news conference at Hasley Canyon Park in Castaic to announce the Citizens for Chiquita Canyon Closure filing a writ against the County to call for the immediate closure of the landfill, and mitigation of impacts on the community.on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Assembly Member Chris Holden speaks during a news conference at Hasley Canyon Park in Castaic to announce the Citizens for Chiquita Canyon Closure filing a writ against the County to call for the immediate closure of the landfill, and mitigation of impacts on the community.on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Chiquita Canyon Landfill in Castaic on Wednesday, October 18, 2023. (Photo by Dean Musgrove, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Chiquita Canyon Landfill in Castaic on Wednesday, October 18, 2023. (Photo by Dean Musgrove, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
The meeting drew local, state and federal representatives to address the concerns of the community and offer updates on the landfill’s future.
Congressman Mike Garcia, state Sen. Scott Wilk and Assemblywoman Pilar Schiavo were in attendance at the meeting.
Barger, who was repeatedly booed at the meeting, said the county is not planning on extending the deadline to reduce the intake of solid waste volume at the landfill. The landfill agreed to a reduction in its solid waste volume by Jan. 1.
But the landfill operators have filed a lawsuit against the county to extend the deadline, casting doubt on whether the landfill will reduce its intake or cease operating.
A multi-agency task force headed by the Environmental Protection Agency has been monitoring the landfill for several months. But the county has not requested or declared a state of emergency to address the pollution the landfill is creating.
Garcia said at the meeting the state of emergency needs to be issued before federal aid can be allocated to people affected by the pollution from the landfill.
Schiavo told people at the meeting she has been lobbying Gov. Gavin Newson’s office to declare a state of emergency and is most concerned about the health of the people who live and work near the landfill.
Wilk said he sent a letter to Waste Connections, the Texas-based company that owns the landfill, to address the community’s concerns. The response from Waste Connections was far from cooperative, he said, adding that Waste Connections essentially dismissed his concerns.
Barger told people at the meeting that county officials were not going to extend the deadline for the landfill to reduce its waste volume and that the landfill is likely to close in one to two months, based on estimates from the landfill.
The suit, filed in Los Angeles federal court, alleges landfill owner-operator Waste Connections negligently and recklessly operated the site, resulting in serious harm to residents.
A Waste Connections representative did not respond to a request for comment from City News Service.
According to the lawsuit, residents allege the company failed to properly manage the landfill’s gas capture, control systems and leachate systems. Leachate is a polluted liquid that forms from rainwater filtering through solid waste.
The alleged failure caused the emission of elevated and harmful levels of carbon monoxide, hydrogen sulfide and volatile organic gases, creating unsafe living conditions for thousands of residents, the lawsuit says.
This year alone, there have been 13,000 odor complaints about the landfill, according to plaintiffs’ attorneys. Residents have reported headaches, nausea, respiratory issues and the inability to enjoy use of their properties due to the offensive smells, the suit states.
“If the landfill operator had taken proper action in maintaining its gas and leachate capture and control systems, community residents would not be suffering the alarming ailments they are now experiencing,” plaintiffs’ attorney Todd Becker said in a statement.
The South Coast Air Quality Management District Hearing Board issued an order of abatement that mandates various measures for odor control and monitoring. Among the steps are a limit to the allowable excavation area at the site, along with application of odor suppressants and increased air sampling.
The order also calls for collection of landfill surface samples for analysis at least three times per month, expansion of a public notification system when air quality standards are violated, development of procedures to prevent “leachate tank” overflows or failure, including daily inspections of tanks, along with installation of real-time remote temperature-monitoring systems at wellheads.
The AQMD is considering ordering the landfill to pause operations from 7 to 10 a.m., when trash odors have been reported to be strongest.
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