The Chiquita Canyon Landfill in Southern California is a significant source of methane gas pollution, impacting the health of nearby residents. 

However, state officials have yet to address the concerns of people about the noxious waste fumes they inhale every day. 

What's happening?

As Inside Climate News reported, the Chiquita Canyon Landfill has been releasing massive amounts of methane and "noxious waste" into the air. People living nearby have been exposed to unsafe levels of carcinogens and chemicals linked to neurological damage, birth defects, and other health problems. 

The landfill has violated safe limit regulations for benzene in the air, water, and soil. Benzene exposure is a known cause of tremors, nausea, and other symptoms. Otherwise healthy people in the area have been experiencing health issues linked to the toxic environment they live in. 

One resident shared that a startling number of people and animals living in the area have suffered miscarriages, migraines, congestion, sinus problems, cancer, and sudden death. 

"This is not normal," she said, per Inside Climate News.

"It is a huge environmental catastrophe," said Jane Williams from California Communities Against Toxics, per Inside Climate News. "It's just remarkable to me that in California, we have abandoned that community. For all intents and purposes, we have sacrificed them."

Why is toxic landfill pollution problematic?

Landfills are no longer a hidden place where we can tuck away our trash and pretend it doesn't exist. Overflowing landfills are releasing toxic pollutants into our environment, causing people and pets to become increasingly sick at alarming rates. 

The methane released from landfill pollution is a planet-warming gas that is harming public health and the natural world. 

Unfortunately, multiple landfills in LA County are disrupting daily life for residents. Elsewhere, undermaintained landfills and unsafe landfill practices are contributing to the global rise in temperatures. 

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What can I do about landfill pollution?

In California, people living near the Chiquita Canyon Landfill have petitioned their government officials, pleading with them to advocate for safer landfill conditions. Rather than declaring a state of emergency, Los Angeles County filed a lawsuit. 

However, California's governor and attorney general have not joined the lawsuit to strengthen the case for improving air quality and public health. Instead, CalEPA and the California Department of Justice have stated that they will continue to coordinate with the relevant agencies to monitor the situation. 

Wherever you live, voting for pro-climate officials and contacting them to advocate for a cleaner, greener environment is an impactful way to influence positive change. However, you can also take individual actions in your own life to help reduce your global landfill problem. 

For example, you can compost your food scraps and repurpose them in your garden, rather than throwing them away. You can also commit to recycling as many items as possible in daily life. 

With just a few minor adjustments to your usual routines, you can keep more items out of landfills. You can personally make a difference by repurposing old containers, mending torn clothes, and opting for plastic-free packaging with new purchases.

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