Unable to extinguish a smoky chemical reaction that sent a stench into neighborhoods and prompted legal action in Los Angeles County, the owners of the Chiquita Canyon Landfill announced Tuesday that they will close the 52-year-old municipal site on New Year’s Day.
In a letter to California environmental managers and government officials, a representative from Texas-based Waste Connections Inc. said Dec. 31 is the last day they will accept solid waste at a 639-acre site in the Santa Clarita Valley.
“Chiquita wished to continue its important role in the community’s waste management system, but made the difficult decision to close the landfill,” wrote Steve Cassulo, the landfill’s manager. “Although Chiquita is available (power), due to the nature of the regulation, maintaining continued operations at Chiquita is no longer economically viable.”
For nearly two years, Chiquita Canyon has been struggling to contain the collapse due to an unusual chemical reaction that caused hot temperatures to escape deep underground in the closed landfill. The extreme heat burned decades-old waste and damaged the landfill’s gas control systems, causing foul-smelling gases to waft into nearby Val Verde and Castaic.
The smoky conditions also caused build-up pressure, resulting in geysers of hazardous liquid debris erupting overhead and white smoke billowing from long fissures. In recent months, Chiquita Canyon has faced increasing pressure from regulators, who have placed limits on where waste can be put into the landfill.
Chiquita Canyon, the second largest operating landfill in Los Angeles County, typically receives about 2 million tons of solid waste annually. That accounted for about one-third of all trash in LA County.
In a state that has long struggled with waste reduction efforts and dwindling disposal capacity, state officials are now evaluating how the shutdown will affect Southern California’s waste flow.
LA County Supervisor Kathryn Barger said state officials expected the closure of Chiquita Canyon. The landfill has been accepting less waste recently. LA County officials are overseeing the diversion of the waste to landfills in Simi Valley and Antelope Valley, Barger said.
So far, there hasn’t been an increase in the tons sent to Sylmar’s Sunshine Canyon, which receives a lot of trash every year.
Barger said he will present the proposal at the next Board of Supervisors meeting on Jan. 7, directing Public Works to evaluate the closure of Chiquita Canyon, including the environmental and financial impacts associated with plans to relocate the waste.
“I am committed to ensuring that this change does not lead to any form of price gouging or unfair practices in waste management,” said Barger. “There must be safeguards to avoid increasing financial burdens on our residents and businesses. I want to emphasize that my priority, however, continues to bring relief to the community that continues to suffer from the bad smell of this place.”
LA County Public Works had previously expressed concern about closing Chiquita Canyon.
The decision to close Chiquita Canyon was not expected to resolve the chemical reaction, which is occurring in a long-lived part of the landfill and could continue for years. The agency also noted that the closure could result in more pollution and higher costs due to transporting waste farther away.
“As the agency responsible for waste management in Los Angeles County, we will ensure that there are no disruptions to waste collection services in our unincorporated communities and we will work with the City of Santa Clarita to help prevent any disruptions to their services again,” said Mark Pestrella, director of LA County Public Works. “The health and safety of our citizens remains our priority.”
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