The South Coast Air Quality Management District (South Coast AQMD) Hearing Board issued an Order for Abatement that will require Chiquita Canyon Landfill to implement stronger measures to address persistent odors that have been impacting the community for nearly two years. 

New and modified requirements include minimizing spills and leaks, improving leachate tank systems, and conducting additional inspections. 

The Order requires Chiquita Canyon Landfill to comply with the following: 

• Incident reporting with root cause analysis: Enhance reporting of leachate leaks and spills, including determining root cause and assessing whether involved personnel received adequate training. 
• Spill prevention measures: Mandate the use of liquid level monitors on leachate tanks to avoid spills from overfilling. 
• Enhanced landfill gas mitigation: Require additional inspections of seams and seal points of the geosynthetic cover over the reaction area to prevent or mitigate surface emissions of landfill gas. 

South Coast AQMD has received more than 28,000 complaints about odors from the landfill from nearby residents since January 2023. 

As of April 2025, South Coast AQMD has issued approximately 326 Notices of Violation (NOVs) against Chiquita Canyon for public nuisance in violation of the agency’s Rule 402 and California Health & Safety Code Section 41700. The Chiquita Canyon Landfill is a landfill/solid waste disposal facility located at 29201 Henry Mayo Dr., in Castaic, California. Foul odors from Chiquita Canyon have continued to significantly impact the public since early 2023. 

In January of this year, the landfill ceased accepting waste due to an ongoing underground chemical reaction, which has raised increasing concerns about potential health risks to nearby residents. The South Coast AQMD Hearing Board initially issued the Order for Abatement in September 2023 and later modified it in January, April, August, and November 2024. As an independent panel, the Hearing Board hears all sides, weighs evidence, and renders decisions. Public testimony was accepted, and evidence was considered. The upcoming status hearings are scheduled for June 4 and June 17, 2025. More information can be found here.

Ed Note: The above information was provided by AQMD. 

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