Chiquita Canyon Landfill ordered to cover dump with special material to contain odors

The Chiquita Canyon Landfill has been ordered to cover its dump site with a special material to contain orders after years of health complaints.

Local officials denied the landfill operators' appeal and required staff to install a thick geomembrane cover over the 639-acre disposal site by Aug. 31, according to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. 

"The community near the landfill has been significantly impacted by the odors emanating from the landfill and the Local Enforcement Agency has been working diligently to require the landfill to mitigate the gases and odors causing the issue," said Karen Gork, LA County's Local Enforcement Agency manager. 

The foul odors from Chiquita Canyon have tormented residents for years, leading to tens of thousands of complaints. 

Since January 2023, the South Coast Air Quality Management District has received more than 28,000 complaints, many of which describe the foul smell as rotten, putrid and stomach-churning. Neighbors also believe the landfill has affected their health, causing headaches, skin irritation and even heart palpitations.   

In the past few years, the dump has transformed from a stinky nuisance to a potential health risk for neighboring residents. The Environmental Protection Agency, California Department of Toxic Substances Control and the South Coast AQMD have issued a litany of violations against the landfill. 

Following persistent issues and complaints, Los Angeles County officials filed a lawsuit against the landfill's owners and operators after the EPA and LA County Public Health discovered an array of toxic gases that cause myriad "short-term health effects" for residents living next to the troublesome dump. 

In 2025, environmental regulators required the landfill to determine the root cause of the leachate leaks, install liquid-level monitors in the leachate tanks and conduct additional inspections to prevent or mitigate the gases responsible for the odors. 

Leachate is the liquid that forms after rain contacts the landfill's waste.