FAQs

The Chiquita Canyon Landfill uses flare equipment to destroy most compounds found in landfill gas that are potentially responsible for odors experienced in nearby communities. Flares are also common and effective methods for burning volatile organic compounds (VOCs) including benzene and other toxic air contaminants that are may be found in landfill gases. Flares burn combustible components in the landfill gas collected by the Chiquita Canyon Landfill, often with greater than 98% effectiveness. While flares are effective in removing potentially odorous and harmful VOC pollutants from the landfill gas, they do create small amounts of ozone and particulate matter forming compounds, such as oxides of nitrogen and sulfur, that may add to regional air quality challenges. The South Coast Air Quality Management District (AQMD) requires reviews of the flare design proposals to ensure they produce as little air pollution as possible. South Coast AQMD regulations require flare operators to hire trained and certified source testing contractors to routinely test flare emissions and ensure compliance with established air pollution limits.

The U.S. EPA issued a Unilateral Administrative Order that includes requirements for air monitoring. Similarly, the South Coast AQMD Hearing Board issued a Stipulated Order for Abatement that requires the landfill operators to install continuous air monitors in the community.

Under the Stipulated Order for Abatement and/or the Unilateral Administrative Order, the landfill operators are required to, among many other things:
• monitor for benzene and other volatile organic compounds (VOCs),
• enhance the air monitoring program with continuous monitoring and discrete and time-integrated sampling in the community,
• conduct additional studies of surface air emissions from the landfill,
• provide South Coast AQMD and U.S. EPA access to certain air monitoring data, and
• develop and maintain a public webpage to display real-time air monitoring information.

Information from this increased air monitoring will help air regulators, public health agencies, and community residents make informed decisions. You can find up to date air quality monitoring data at cclresponse.com.

Particulate Matter, also known as PM, is a mixture of solid particles and liquid droplets found in the air. Some particles, such as dust, dirt, soot, or smoke, are large enough to be seen with the naked eye. Others are so small they can only be detected using an electron microscope. SCS Engineers, an environmental consulting and contracting firm working for Chiquita Canyon Landfill, has been measuring fine and coarse particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10, respectively) at seven community air monitoring sites near/around the Chiquita Canyon landfill since October 2022.   There are also many outdoor PM2.5 sensors deployed and operated by community members surrounding the landfill.  These sensors are popular due to their affordability, easy installation, and community-driven approach, and provide potentially useful real-time data for particulate matter when set up and maintained correctly.

AQMD has determined that odor complaints associated with Chiquita Canyon Landfill are primarily caused by hydrogen sulfide and other odorous gases that may be present in landfill emissions. Neither PM2.5 nor PM10 are odorous and are not responsible for the odor complaints reported in communities surrounding the landfill.

Air monitoring is being conducted for a wide range of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and sulfur-containing compounds at several locations around the landfill and in communities nearby. Potential short- and long-term health effects are evaluated by comparing air monitoring results to regulatory health guidance levels such as the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) Reference Exposure Levels (RELs). If a certain chemical does not have an OEHHA REL, the strictest available health guidance value is used for comparison. People are not expected to experience health risks when chemical levels are measured below long-term (chronic) RELs. Specialized air monitors in nearby communities have shown that average daily levels of VOCs are below long-term chronic RELs. Experts are continually reviewing new air monitoring data to evaluate short- and long-term health risks. To date, no significant health risks have been identified. For more information about VOCs and their health effects, please visit: ToxFAQs™ - Letter A | Toxic Substance Portal | ATSDR (cdc.gov).

Many community members are reporting high VOC levels in the Val Verde area that have been measured with PurpleAir sensors, which may not provide accurate VOC readings when humidity levels rise at night. PurpleAir is a popular brand of air quality sensors to measure real-time PM2.5 concentrations for residential, commercial, or industrial use and that can be installed indoors or outdoors. Recently, PurpleAir has begun to commercialize devices that, in addition to PM2.5, also measure relative humidity, barometric pressure, ambient temperature and total VOCs. About 20 PurpleAir sensors measuring total VOCs have been deployed in the Val Verde area by local community members. As mentioned on the PurpleAir website, these VOC devices are in an experimental phase, and PurpleAir is working to fully understand how to interpret these readings and how to implement them into their devices properly. For more accurate VOC readings, please see air quality monitoring results available at the cclresponse.com website.

As of July 2024, benzene is being measured continuously (and reported using hourly averages) at two community air monitoring station locations (one in Val Verde and one in Castaic) as part of Chiquita’s air monitoring network. The ambient levels of benzene are then reported in near real-time on a dedicated webpage (https://www.cclresponse.com/air-monitoring) so that citizens have uninterrupted access to this important data. Eight (8) additional specialized instruments for monitoring benzene and other relevant VOCs will soon be deployed near/around the Chiquita Canyon Landfill.

Between 2018 and 2019, South Coast AQMD conducted an air toxics exposure study (Multiple Air Toxics Exposure Study V; or MATES V) to measure the concentration of benzene and other air toxic pollutants through the South Coast Air Basin. At this time, air monitoring of the most important VOCs indicates that ambient levels in the communities near the Chiquita Canyon Landfill are similar to the levels found in the Burbank area during MATES V. For more details on MATES V, please visit: https://www.aqmd.gov/home/air-quality/air-quality-studies/health-studies/mates-v

The landfill’s permit from the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board (Water Board) requires the Main Canyon, where the Reaction Area is located, to have a liner and leachate collection system to prevent constituents of concern from polluting groundwater and surface water. The permit also requires a network of groundwater monitoring wells to detect any potential impacts from the landfill before they can escape to groundwater.  The Water Board is evaluating data from the wells on an ongoing basis to determine if there is any leachate in the groundwater. While the analysis is ongoing, a preliminary review indicates that leachate is not impacting groundwater quality.

The Water Board has identified the need for additional monitoring wells to ensure sufficient coverage of the area and to detect any leachate release to groundwater. Early detection allows better prevention of contaminated groundwater potentially migrating offsite. On May 20, 2024, the Water Board issued an Investigative Order requiring the landfill to add three additional groundwater monitoring wells, two onsite and one offsite.

The permit issued by the Water Board does not authorize the landfill to discharge leachate to surface waters, but it allows stormwater discharges to the Santa Clara River from a sediment basin located at the base of the landfill. The landfill operator, who is required to collect stormwater samples, collected samples during multiple rain events including in December 2023, January 2024, and February 2024. In addition, Water Board staff collected samples from the sediment basin discharge point on February 20, 2024, and from the creek below the sediment basin discharge point on February 9, 2024. Staff have received and shared all stormwater discharge monitoring results from the landfill operator and are reviewing the data from these sampling events for possible follow-up action. As part of the Investigative Order, the Water Board also required the landfill operator to sample any and all discharges to and from the south sedimentation basin for a full suite of chemicals.

No. Wells that provide drinking water to the Val Verde community have not been impacted by the current situation. The water supplied to the community comes from another system’s wells that are adjacent to Los Angeles County Waterworks District 36’s system. The other system’s wells are located approximately three miles northeast near Castaic. These wells are upgradient of the landfill and not impacted by the current conditions. Los Angeles County Waterworks District 36’s only groundwater well previously used for drinking water in Val Verde (Well 36-19) has been out of service for repairs since November 2021.

No. However, the US Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA), through its role in the Multi-Agency Coordination Action Team or M-CAT, will ensure that the public is protected and informed by the collection and dissemination of continuous air monitoring data and other environmental health data as needed. The M-CAT’s highest concerns are possible health and environmental impacts, especially those raised by community members. The overarching purpose of the M-CAT is to coordinate among the regulatory agencies and marshal their collective expertise, resources, and tools to find short- and long-term solutions to any potential environmental and public health issues related to the Chiquita Canyon Landfill.

Data reviewed from specialized air monitoring since April 2024 shows that average daily levels of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) such as benzene are similar to background levels in the Los Angeles County area. Monitors will continue to gather a robust set of air monitoring results to help experts evaluate both short-term (acute) and long-term (chronic) community health risks.

Exposure to benzene may impact the production of blood in bone marrow and may increase your risk of cancer and reproductive effects. Based on current air monitoring data, benzene has not reached thresholds for these risks.

However, we recognize that the community has been reporting significant and persistent health complaints and that there is uncertainty about possible health impacts from persistent exposure to low levels of odorous chemicals. Many chemicals can cause odors at levels below health guidance levels. Persistent odors may cause physical symptoms all by themselves. Comprehensive air monitoring is ongoing to evaluate exposures to landfill chemicals that may pose health risks.

More information about Benzene is available from:
Benzene | ToxFAQs™ | ATSDR (cdc.gov), and
Benzene | Public Health Statement | ATSDR (cdc.gov)

Health impacts from odors and air pollution can vary, depending on a person’s sensitivity and extent of exposure. Sensitive individuals include children, seniors, or those with chronic health conditions.

The following categories are generally considered more at risk:
• people with pre-existing conditions (e.g. asthma, heart or lung disease)
• children
• pregnant individuals
• older adults
• outdoor workers

The landfill operator is evaluating air monitoring data for more than seventy chemicals, including hydrogen sulfide, sulfur dioxide and various volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

Air monitoring data do not indicate an immediate endangerment to health. However, many chemicals can cause odors and may cause physical symptoms. These symptoms may cause real discomfort and continue as long as odors persist.

No, there are no recommended monitors for outdoor or indoor use to measure volatile organic compounds or other air toxics (e.g. benzene). Recommendations for portable air cleaners to assist in removing gases and odors from inside the home are here: Community Resources (cclresponse.com).

The monitors needed to accurately measure the concentration of odorous compounds (e.g. hydrogen sulfide), volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and other air toxics (e.g. benzene) are very expensive and require a large amount of maintenance and calibration to consistently provide accurate measurements. Low-cost sensors have become an attractive means for local environmental groups and individuals to independently evaluate air quality in their communities, but unfortunately, low-cost sensors for total or individual odorous compounds, VOCs, and air toxics are generally not reliable and have significant limitations that hinder their usefulness.

We recommend that residents access publicly available hydrogen sulfide, benzene and other air monitoring data at https://www.cclresponse.com/air-monitoring. For additional information on the performance of commercially available air quality sensors, please visit South Coast AQMD’s Air Quality Sensor Performance Evaluation Center (AQ-SPEC) website (https://www.aqmd.gov/aq-spec).

Los Angeles County provides the following resources for individuals seeking personal health coverage and care: Get Coverage & Care - Health Services Los Angeles County (lacounty.gov)

If you are concerned about a symptom or health issue, seek medical treatment from your healthcare provider. Community members can also contact the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health at (626) 430-9821 or tox@ph.lacounty.gov to report their concerns.

You may also want to take steps to reduce your exposure – see guidance here: Community Health (cclresponse.com).

It is often difficult to pinpoint why one person develops cancer while another does not. Current air monitoring results show that chemicals have not reached thresholds that would increase the risk of cancer. Comprehensive air monitoring is ongoing to evaluate exposures to landfill chemicals that may pose health risks.

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health has been collecting health complaint information. The County has received over 600 calls to their health complaint line detailing symptoms experienced by residents in Castaic, Hasley Hills, Live Oak, Val Verde, Santa Clarita, Stevenson Ranch, and Valencia. Complaints have included: nose, throat, and eye irritation, headache, nausea, difficulty breathing, and dizziness.

Community members can continue to report health complaints to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health at (626) 430-9821 or tox@ph.lacounty.gov

For Odor Concerns: To report an odor complaint, please contact the South Coast Air Quality Management District at (800) 288-7664 or visit the online complaint system.

There are no recommended medical tests of blood, urine, or other body samples for the clinical evaluation of patients exposed to chemicals emitted from the Chiquita Canyon Landfill.

The County has developed an informational flyer “Facts About Landfills” which contains information about potential health effects and steps that can be taken to minimize indoor landfill gases. This document can be shared by community members with their health care provider when seeking a medical evaluation for odor-related symptoms.

If you are concerned about a symptom or health issue, seek medical treatment from your healthcare provider. Community members can also contact the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health at (626) 430-9821 or tox@ph.lacounty.gov to report their concerns.

Everyone reacts to odors differently. Substances that produce odors, including hydrogen sulfide, can sometimes trigger physical symptoms. Symptoms usually occur when the substance is present at “irritation levels”. However, you can sometimes have symptoms when the substance is below levels of irritation. The most common symptoms from environmental odors are headache and nausea. Others include dizziness, watery eyes, stuffy nose, irritated throat, cough or wheeze (especially if you have allergies, asthma, and other chronic lung problems), sleep problems due to throat irritation and cough

Some people are more sensitive to environmental odors than others, including children, older adults, and those who are pregnant. When you are more sensitive to an odor, you may have symptoms even at a low concentration of the odor in air (i.e., before it reaches harmful levels). In general, as concentration levels increase, more people will have symptoms.

Environmental odors can also cause stress.  The following conditions may trigger symptoms when odors are below irritation levels:
• If the odor has a very unpleasant smell
• If you’ve had a previous bad experience with the odor
• If you believe the odor is harmful
• If you feel stressed by the odor

These signs and symptoms may be from other causes as well. For example, watery eyes and a stuffy nose may also be related to seasonal allergies. As always, you should see a doctor if you have questions about signs and symptoms. For more information about environmental odors, refer to the CDC’s Environmental Odors fact sheet.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) uses a Reference Exposure Limit for occupational (workplace) exposures to assess exposure or risk to workers. The Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) develops Reference Exposure Levels (RELs) used to protect the public including infants and children from exposure to air pollutants. Public health officials, including the South Coast Air Quality Management District, are comparing the air monitoring results to the OEHHA RELs. For further information and a list of chemicals that have OEHHA RELs, see: OEHHA Acute, 8-hour and Chronic Reference Exposure Level (REL) Summary. The values for the OEHHA RELs at this webpage are expressed in micrograms per meter cubed (ug/m3) and not parts per billion (ppb) as displayed on the air monitoring platforms at cclresponse.com.