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Troubled Chiquita Canyon Landfill to shut down New Year’s Day
Liquid collects on top of a plastic tarp in Chiquita Canyon landfill in Castaic.
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Courtesy the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
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Topline:
The Chiquita Canyon Landfill in Castaic is shutting down on Jan. 1, according to Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger.
Why now? The closure was expected, according to Barger’s office. It comes after the county recently filed a lawsuit accusing operators of failing to protect residents from the landfill’s noxious odors. Chiquita Canyon said in a statement that the lawsuit is "misguided and counterproductive to efforts to mitigate the elevated temperature landfill event."
The backstory: Residents living nearby have reported headaches, eye irritation, dizziness, and even cardiac problems. The South Coast Air Quality Management District received more than 20,000 complaints about the smells, largely from this year.
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What’s next: While the last day the landfill will accept incoming waste is Dec. 31, operators will continue to manage it and oversee the closure. The county is working with local officials to ensure there’s no disruption in trash collection.
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Troubled Chiquita Canyon Landfill to shut down New Year’s Day
What it means for the environment: At the next county Board of Supervisors meeting, set for Jan. 7, Barger is expected to introduce a motion to assess the closure’s effect on waste disposal operations, environmental considerations, and community health, she said.
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