DTSC Finds Chiquita Canyon LLC Out of Compliance, Subject to Penalties

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State Officials Find Chiquita Canyon LLC and Parent Company Waste Connections US, Inc. Out of Compliance with Environmental Laws, Subject to Penalties

DTSC Issues more environmental violations, Chiquita Canyon, LLC, Chiquita Canyon, Inc., and Waste Connections US, Inc. face daily fines of $25,000

DATE: January 26, 2026

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: The Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) has determined that Waste Connections US, Inc. and its associated companies are out of compliance with the department’s order to contain an environmental crisis at the Chiquita Canyon Landfill and prevent further threats to residents. Waste Connections and the companies face daily fines until they provide an adequate plan to address ongoing threats to public health and the environment.

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SACRAMENTO – Following years of efforts to get Chiquita Canyon LLC, Chiquita Canyon, Inc., and Waste Connections US, Inc. to fix problems with the Chiquita Canyon landfill, today DTSC issued a Determination of Non-Compliance to the companies and ordered them to address the smoldering chemical reaction brewing deep inside the landfill. Without adequate action, the three companies face fines of up to $25,000 a day until the companies present and implement a plan to address the ongoing threat.

“We are seeing Waste Connections continue an unacceptable pattern of repeated, continuing non-compliance with environmental laws, and delay after delay that threaten our communities and our environment,” said DTSC Director Katherine Butler. “People’s lives and properties are directly impacted. Because California deserves better, this is going to be a full court press, as DTSC locks arms with its regulatory partners until this environmental crisis is under control.”

DTSC Director Katherine Butler

Over the past two years, DTSC has cited multiple violations of California’s Hazardous Waste Control Law at Chiquita Canyon Landfill. At the same time, residents continue to report widespread health symptoms to state officials.

Chiquita Canyon is a 639-acre landfill that formerly provided Santa Clarita Valley and surrounding Los Angeles County communities with waste disposal services. It is located in Castaic.

DTSC investigations have discovered multiple violations of the California Hazardous Waste Control Law at the landfill. On November 18, 2025, DTSC issued the most recent Summary of Violations to Chiquita Canyon Landfill that included failing to minimize the possible release of hazardous waste, failing to properly complete hazardous waste manifests, and failing to properly label tanks accumulating hazardous waste. To date, DTSC has cited Chiquita Canyon Landfill for 81 violations of the Hazardous Waste Control Law.

On April 2, 2025, DTSC issued an Imminent and Substantial Endangerment Order to the landfill. The order requires the landfill to relocate a hazardous waste storage tank farm, expand the geosynthetic cover to the entire reaction area, and take actions to protect slope stability. For more details, see the Chiquita Canyon Landfill Envirostor page.

On April 1, 2025, DTSC cited violations related to the handling of hazardous waste at the landfill.

Other CalEPA departments have also taken action.

In March 2025, the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) issued a detailed expert analysis refuting Chiquita Canyon LLC’s claim that the reaction area had not expanded and outlined action to be taken.

Beginning in 2023, the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board issued multiple Notices of Violation based on failure to comply with regulatory requirements at the Chiquita Canyon Landfill. The most recent violation was issued in January 2026.

In addition, the South Coast Air Quality Management District (South Coast AQMD) has taken significant enforcement action against Chiquita Canyon Landfill. Since January 1, 2023, South Coast AQMD has responded to over 26,000 odor complaints from local residents and has issued over 400 Notices of Violation to the facility for public nuisance under the agency’s Rule 402 and the corresponding provision of the California Health & Safety Code. Due to the severity and duration of this odor issue, the South Coast AQMD Hearing Board issued an Order for Abatement in September 2023 that requires the landfill to take numerous steps to address the ongoing public nuisance—such as reducing excess emissions, expanding ambient air monitoring, and increasing public reporting requirements—and the order remains in effect today.

In 2023, local, state, and federal agencies formed a multi-agency task force to address concerns raised about the operations and overall state of the landfill.  In 2023 and then revised in 2025, U.S. EPA required the landfill to reduce odors and emissions and expand a cover to all areas of the landfill to which the reaction may expand.

For more information, see the CalEPA Chiquita Canyon Landfill Response web page.

FOR GENERAL INQUIRIES: Contact the Department of Toxic Substances Control to report illegal handling, discharge, or disposal of hazardous waste, or other environmental concerns using the CalEPA Environmental Complaint System.

DTSC’s Mission is to protect California’s people, communities, and environment from toxic substances, to enhance economic vitality by restoring contaminated land, and to compel manufacturers to make safer consumer products.