California Sues Waste Connections Over Chiquita Canyon Landfill Fire

• California has sued Waste Connections and its subsidiaries over alleged mismanagement at the Chiquita Canyon Landfill, citing an expanding underground fire.
• The lawsuit, filed by Attorney General Rob Bonta, accuses the companies of multiple violations of the Hazardous Waste Control Law.
• An uncontrolled subsurface elevated temperature event, active since May 2022, has grown to approximately 90 acres with temperatures exceeding 212 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Hazardous leachate containing benzene has escaped the landfill, impacting a nearby creek and the Santa Clara River.
• Nearby communities have filed over 28,000 complaints, reporting health issues like headaches, hives, nausea, and noxious odors.

The California lawsuit against the Chiquita Canyon Landfill fire highlights the state's aggressive enforcement posture against waste management companies.

The State of California has initiated legal proceedings against Waste Connections and two of its subsidiaries, alleging severe mismanagement at the Chiquita Canyon Landfill. Filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on Tuesday, the lawsuit contends that the companies have repeatedly failed to operate the facility, located approximately seven miles west of Santa Clarita, in a proper manner. This legal action, spearheaded by Attorney General Rob Bonta, targets the ongoing environmental and public health crisis stemming from an uncontrolled subsurface elevated temperature (SET) event, effectively an underground fire, within the landfill.

This persistent subsurface combustion, which Bonta characterized as "garbage cooking underground," has been active since at least May 2022. The SET event has significantly expanded, growing from an approximate area of 20 acres in 2022 to an estimated 90 acres, and continues to spread. Temperature gauges within certain sections of the landfill have registered readings exceeding 212 degrees Fahrenheit, indicating intense heat generation. Such events are known to produce hazardous leachate and gases, which can permeate the landfill structure and potentially lead to ground instability, including sinkholes and surface depressions. The California lawsuit against the Chiquita Canyon Landfill fire highlights the state's aggressive enforcement posture against waste management companies.

The complaint specifically accuses Waste Connections and its subsidiaries of multiple violations of California's Hazardous Waste Control Law (HWCL). A critical concern is the leachate generated by the burning waste, which has been confirmed to contain benzene, a known carcinogen. Attorney General Bonta asserts that the defendants' handling of this hazardous material has resulted in spills and leaks into the surrounding environment. Despite claims by the defendants that they have extracted and treated the leachate, its generation increased by nearly 70% between 2024 and November 2025, with approximately 100,000 gallons being produced daily in May 2024.

These alleged failures include not reducing the risk of fire, explosion, or other sudden releases of hazardous waste into the air, soil, or water. Furthermore, the lawsuit claims unlawful storage, treatment, or disposal of hazardous waste at an unauthorized location. Specific instances cited involve an incorrect hazardous waste determination in December 2023 for 4,600 gallons of leachate transported offsite, alongside a failure to prepare a correct hazardous waste manifest for its transport. Heavy rainfall in December 2025 exacerbated the situation, causing some leachate to enter a nearby creek and ultimately flow into the Santa Clara River, underscoring the severe environmental impact of the Chiquita Canyon Landfill hazardous waste.

The ongoing issues at the Chiquita Canyon Landfill have had a profound impact on nearby communities, leading to a staggering 28,000 complaints in recent years. Residents have reported a range of health ailments, including headaches, hives, nausea, dizziness, and eye irritation, in addition to experiencing noxious odors. Jennifer Elkins, a resident living about 1,500 feet from the site, shared her personal struggle, stating she commutes three hours daily to take her children to a school far from the landfill, lamenting that her children cannot play outside. These Santa Clarita landfill health impacts are a central focus of the Rob Bonta landfill lawsuit.

The lawsuit seeks a judicial declaration that Waste Connections has violated the Hazardous Waste Control Law and an order compelling the company to comply with its provisions. It also demands that Waste Connections and its subsidiaries be held liable for significant civil penalties. The Chiquita Canyon Landfill, which operated from 1972 until January 1, 2025, on a 639-acre site, once accepted up to 12,000 tons of waste daily. Assemblymember Pilar Schiavo, a Santa Clarita Democrat, emphasized the necessity of holding multi-billion-dollar corporations accountable for such environmental transgressions. Prior to this state action, the defendants had already faced various notices of violations, culminating in a civil complaint filed by Los Angeles County in 2024.

This lawsuit signals aggressive enforcement by the California Attorney General against waste management companies for environmental violations, particularly regarding hazardous waste control and subsurface events. Lawyers advising landfill operators or companies handling hazardous waste should review their compliance protocols for storage, treatment, disposal, and manifest requirements to mitigate significant civil penalties and injunctive relief risks, especially in light of expanding subsurface temperature events and leachate management.

Source: Original reporting via Courthouse News Service