Residents who live near the Chiquita Canyon Landfill in Castaic are filing a mass lawsuit alleging the toxic odors are poisoning and sickening locals.
The suit claims the endless emission of toxic fumes has led to numerous health issues including respiratory symptoms, headaches, eye irritation, skin issues and more.
Some residents said it feels like they’ve been trapped indoors for over a year as they keep their windows and doors sealed shut to protect themselves from the air.
The 639-acre municipal landfill is filled with solid waste and is operated by a private company called Chiquita Canyon, LLC.
Since May 2022, the landfill has experienced a “significant subsurface oxidation event that has grown in size and impact,” according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
In 2023, there were 6,800 noxious odor complaints by residents near the landfill along with complaints about leachate, which is rainwater or other liquid filtering/draining through from landfill wastes, the EPA reported.
Although officials said the exact cause of the oxidation event is unknown, the reaction has caused increased levels of carbon monoxide, hydrogen sulfide, and volatile organics.
EPA officials said the leachate seeping from the area contained elevated levels of benzene, which is a hazardous substance that can harm human health through air exposure or drinking contaminated water.
Many residents have held demonstrations and protests, demanding officials address the worsening situation.
Local, state and federal agencies have ordered landfill operators to take action and mitigate the continuing discharge. In February, the EPA called the landfill an “imminent and substantial endangerment to nearby communities.”
Now, over 800 residents are filing a multi-million dollar lawsuit against the operators.
One of the plaintiffs, a Castaic mother who did not wish to be identified, said her 8-year-old daughter suffers from constant nausea due to the toxins.
“She has to walk around the house with a bucket or a bag,” the mother said. “So whatever she can reach out to first, if she’s going to vomit, is what she’s going to use.”
“It just overcomes you,” attorney Jackie Kruger said of the odor. “It just feels like you’re inhaling just something disgusting. Long-term, if this continues, all kinds of blood-borne problems [can occur] including cancers, leukemias and anemias — significant issues.”
Kruger is the principal attorney representing the residents and said recent data showed complaints about poor air quality and health problems in the landfill area have been skyrocketing over the past year.
The affected area is a roughly seven-mile radius around the landfill. Locals are not only concerned about contaminated air, but also contaminated water.
“There’s a whole series of things that need to be done,” Kruger said. “Number one is they need to close it down. They need to stop putting Los Angeles County’s trash here because all they’re doing is increasing that situation.”
“It’s pretty sad that we have to be locked in and we’re not able to get fresh air,” the Castaic mother said. “We don’t go into our backyard whatsoever.”
Kruger said her firm is also suing for “medical monitoring” to determine if any of her clients have developed long-term health issues. She also wants Governor Gavin Newsom to declare a state of emergency in the area to fast-track relief efforts.