The Environmental Protection Agency has issued a violation against the controversial Chiquita Canyon Landfill and its operators for failing to contain toxic chemicals.
In the June 4 notice, federal regulators said the landfill operators, Waste Connections, violated the Clean Air Act and their operating permit by emitting excessive toxic gases, including benzene, hydrogen sulfide and other chemicals that can damage the lungs.
“I think now that we have the violations in hand, I think the community can push the regulators to do something and push the landfill operator to make decisions to reduce the problems, if they can, or the landfill to close,” said resident Mark Andes.
For years, residents of the neighborhoods surrounding the landfill have filed thousands of complaints about the 639-acre landfill. The South Coast Air Quality Management District said it received nearly 10,000 complaints in 2024, many reporting a foul odor described as rotten, putrid and stomach-churning. Neighbors also believe the dump has affected their health, causing headaches, skin irritation and even heart palpitations.
One of the chemicals regulators discovered, hydrogen sulfide, can cause irritation, headaches, nausea and respiratory stress. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention describes the odor of the colorless gas as “a strong odor of rotten eggs.” In the report, EPA inspectors said the hydrogen sulfide contributed significantly to the neighbors’ declining quality of life.
The EPA said Chiquita Canyon operators have 10 days to respond to the notice.
“We are actively evaluating the EPA’s findings and working with them and our regulators to address any outstanding issues,” the landfill operators said in a statement. “Following the guidance of our regulators and experts, Chiquita Canyon is actively engaged in a focused and intensive effort to address the high-temperature landfill.”
At a meeting Tuesday, landfill representatives said they are trying to resolve the problem.
“It’s their fault. It’s their mess. Putting a plastic seal on top, they say, will solve everything, I don’t know,” said resident Aran Dokovna.
Earlier in 2024, a independent study found that odors emanating from Chiquita Canyon caused “short-term health effects” shortly before residents began filing lawsuits against the operators.
