The controversial Chiquita Canyon Landfill in Castaic will close this week, with Tuesday being the last day it will accept waste.
“Chiquita Canyon LLC has announced that the Chiquita Canyon Landfill will cease waste disposal operations on January 1, 2025,” Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Berger’s office said in a news release. “The last day for solid waste to be accepted into the landfill is today, December 31, 2024. Although waste disposal operations will be closed, Chiquita Canyon LLC will continue to manage the landfill and collect waste generated on site. Address odor incidents and supervise closure and waste activities.”
Local residents have complained of a variety of health effects, including headaches, nausea, and eye and throat irritation, as fires occur beneath the surface of the trash, a phenomenon that landfill operators call a “reaction phenomenon.”
Berger, who chairs the oversight committee, added in the release that “the closure of the landfill was expected and we have been closely monitoring this development.”
“This is an important change for our community, and it creates a responsibility for us to carefully assess the impact on our residents, businesses and local waste management systems,” Berger said. “To proactively address these concerns, I will introduce a motion at the next Board of Supervisors meeting directing the utility to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the impact of the closure. “I will ensure that this transition does not lead to any form of price gouging or unfair practices in waste management services.” We are doing our best to make it happen. ”
Despite these concerns, Berger added that the health of those living nearby remains “my number one priority.”
“Closing the landfill will not stop their suffering because accidents are happening in closed and inactive parts,” she said. “The lawsuit brought by the County of Los Angeles against the owners and operators of the Chiquita Canyon Landfill seeks redress for the affected communities and seeks to right its wrongs.”
Landfill managers said they were “working collaboratively” with regulators to address the issue.
“Chiquita takes its role in the safe operation of the landfill very seriously,” the statement released in 2023 said.
Source link
