Chiquita Canyon Landfill in northern Los Angeles County has had multiple high temperatures and underground chemical reactions, which increased the amount of gas emissions and odors that nearby community members have experienced since early 2022.
The Los Angeles Public Health Department has been audited by the California State Auditor and has been found to have missed opportunities to better protect the community, had limited communication and engagement with residents, and had better responses to other events, which have not been done with the landfill.
Appropriate steps were taken to deal with the conditions of the landfill, such as tracking the reaction area conditions with temperature monitors and applying monetary penalties if Chiquita did not comply. However, shortcomings in monitoring citizens’ health and environmental conditions were found.
“We nonetheless could not verify that LADPH had always reviewed specific air quality information, and it did not communicate with the public about specific levels of chemicals in the air,” stated the audit
The information regarding residents’ health symptoms was also not up to date. Mostly from the end of 2024, which was more than a year and a half ago.
Relocation assistance for residents was also not promptly advocated for until May 2025, two years into the response. No sufficient explanation was given for why relief was not given before that time.
Mental health services were not adequately provided despite evidence that it was the community’s top health concern. LADPH did not discuss in detail its collaboration with other agencies to deal with the chemical reaction.
Other health hazard events were responded to differently by the LADPH, such as coordination with another county department to provide mental health resources, which was not done for the landfill.
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