Assemblywoman Pilar Schiavo (D-Chatsworth) and community members, including neighbors affected by the ongoing issues at the Chiquita Canyon Landfill, held a press conference on Thursday, November 13, to release a critical health study and the California Hot Landfill Map. The event highlighted the urgent need for strong, updated methane regulations by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to prevent future landfill disasters.
Families living near the Chiquita Canyon Landfill, which currently has a 90-acre underground landfill fire, continue to suffer persistent health impacts. Residents have reported a range of serious symptoms, including nausea, headaches, respiratory distress, nosebleeds, tremors, miscarriages, heart irregularities, cancer, and neurological issues. These health problems are attributed to continuous emissions and the production of toxic leachate from the landfill.
In response to this ongoing crisis, the Community Assessment for Public Health Emergency Response (CASPER) study was conducted by California Communities Against Toxics. The findings have prompted Assemblywoman Schiavo and community leaders to call for urgent action to protect public health. They are urging CARB to enact strong regulations that incorporate modern methane leak detection techniques, enhance public transparency, and provide the tools necessary to ensure landfill compliance.
“Yesterday, we stood just feet from the Chiquita Canyon Landfill, where disaster rages on and is making our community sick daily. The continual release of cancer-causing gases and noxious fumes have resulted in miscarriages, tremors, and more,” Schiavo stated. “The disaster at Chiquita Canyon could have been avoided. Unfortunately, it has now become a canary in the coal mine. I joined impacted community members to urge CARB to protect other communities, especially those who could be next.”
She continued, “We are calling on CARB not only to stand firm in their proposal to catch other landfills before they become emergencies but also to ensure the regulations have the teeth necessary for CARB to take action against landfills that fail to fix problems. This is especially important with 11 landfills already allowed to operate above temperatures outlined in federal regulations.”
Jane Williams, Executive Director of California Communities Against Toxics, emphasized the science behind the call for action. “The science is clear and the impacts are undeniable. The Chiquita Canyon Landfill has shown us what happens when high-temperature reactions, methane leaks, and toxic emissions go unchecked,” she said. “CARB must adopt rules requiring continuous monitoring, rapid leak detection, and enforcement with consequences. Communities cannot wait another 15 years for the protection they urgently need.”
Jennifer Elkins, an impacted resident and community leader, added, “Every day, our families are forced to breathe air that makes our kids sick and makes our neighborhoods unlivable. We’re asking CARB to stand with us to ensure no other community has to suffer what we are enduring here at Chiquita Canyon. Data transparency that is easily accessible, fence-line monitoring, and real-time public notifications are essential to protecting communities.”
Looking ahead, CARB will hold a public hearing on Thursday, November 20, to consider proposed updates to landfill methane regulations. Information on how to watch the hearing virtually is available on CARB’s meeting webpage.
In addition to advocating for updated regulations at CARB, Assemblywoman Schiavo is advancing the Landfill Safety Act (AB 28). This bill aims to strengthen the response capabilities of all agencies overseeing landfills in California to detect and prevent disasters like the Chiquita Canyon fire before they happen.
For more information, the full video from the November 13 press conference can be viewed here, and the Chiquita Canyon Landfill Fact Sheet detailing the results of the CASPER study is accessible here.
https://scvnews.com/schiavo-community-members-release-critical-health-study-ca-hot-landfill-map/