Chiquita Canyon

Chiquita Canyon Chiquita Canyon is an environmentally sustainable landfill creating clean energy which powers 10,000 homes a year.

Chiquita Canyon is a 639-acre landfill located in Castaic, California, approximately 3 miles west of the Interstate 5 on State Route 126 in the Santa Clarita Valley. It is located in Castaic, California, approximately 3 miles west of the Interstate 5 on State Route 126 in the Santa Clarita Valley. It has been in continuous operation for more than 40 years and is owned and operated by Waste Connect

ions, an integrated solid waste services company. Chiquita Canyon has provided the Santa Clarita Valley and surrounding Los Angeles communities with environmentally safe and efficient waste disposal services. Chiquita Canyon only accepts non-hazardous solid waste for disposal. The solid waste received at the site consists of municipal solid waste, residential and commercial waste, including yard waste, Green Waste (for composting or for recycling), clean fill soil and construction/demolition debris. Since it began operating in 1972, Chiquita Canyon has been an active member of the Santa Clarita Valley, participating in community events and contributing to local organizations and programs. Through the Val Verde Community Benefits Funding Committee Chiquita Canyon has been an active supporter of Val Verde civic programs. Chiquita Canyon, like other solid waste landfills, over time generates a greenhouse gas, methane, which can be safely converted into a valuable source of clean energy. Chiquita deploys a gas recovery system to collect methane which is then used to generate electricity for nearly 10,000 homes each year. Chiquita is open 6 days per week beginning at 3 a.m. It is located at 29201 Henry Mayo Dr., Castaic, CA 91384. For more information, please contact (661) 257-3655. Clean Energy Produced at Chiquita Canyon
Chiquita Canyon, like other solid waste landfills, over time generates a greenhouse gas, methane, which can be safely converted into a valuable source of clean energy. Chiquita deploys a gas recovery system to collect methane which is then used to generate clean energy for nearly 10,000 homes each year. The Clean Energy Facility, operated by Ameresco, allows the Chiquita Canyon to operate sustainably using energy generated on-site to power the landfill and then put additional clean energy megawatts on the power grid.

“It’s truly a great story of sustainability and one that serves as a model for other landfills across the country,” said Jim Little, Senior Vice President of Waste Connections. “The ability to take a disposal facility and turn it into a generator of clean energy is truly amazing.”

With the clean energy power plant in operation, Chiquita Canyon is reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 45,000 tons. From the environmental prospective, the annual green benefits expected from the carbon reduction are equivalent to the following:

Planting of 83,191 trees;
Removal of 74,602 automobiles from the road; or
Conservation of 1,044,960 barrels of oil.

07/20/2026

SHUTTLE SERVICE BEGINS
Beginning Tuesday, July 21, Chiquita Canyon will provide a complimentary, hourly shuttle service from the Val Verde Community Park to the Cool Zone located at the Embassy Suites in Santa Clarita.

The shuttle will begin daily service at 7 a.m. The shuttle will pick up residents in Val Verde, every hour, on the hour. The last shuttle service pick-up in Val Verde will be at 8 p.m.

Return shuttle rides will leave the Embassy Suites daily beginning at 7:40 a.m. and will continue hourly until the last return shuttle at 8:40 p.m.

Pick-Up Location: Val Verde Community Park | 30300 Arlington St. | Val Verde

For everyone's comfort and safety, and out of respect of our shuttle company's rules, we kindly ask that open food and beverage containers, as well as animals, except service animals as required by law, not be brought aboard the shuttle. Smoking is strictly prohibited. Minors under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Thank you for your cooperation.

Cool Zone hours have been extended to 9 p.m. daily. You may visit the Cool Zone between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m. daily.During ...
07/20/2026

Cool Zone hours have been extended to 9 p.m. daily. You may visit the Cool Zone between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m. daily.

During the next several weeks, Chiquita Canyon Landfill will be conducting work at the west toe of the landfill as part of its continued mitigation of the ongoing elevated landfill temperature (ETLF) event or reaction.

While this work is being conducted, Chiquita has established a “Cool Zone” at the Embassy Suites Hotel located off Newhall Ranch Road and I-5 for residents of Val Verde and Castaic.

The Cool Zone is in a large meeting room space at the hotel and is set up with TV, Wi-Fi, worktables, fresh fruit, and ice water.

Please note the following guidelines for the Cool Zone:

- Minors under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult at all times.
- Outside food and beverages are prohibited pursuant to the hotel’s health and safety guidelines.
- No pets allowed pursuant to the hotel’s health and safety guidelines for food service areas, including the Cool Zone.
- Hotel amenities are not included as part of the Cool Zone. Cool Zone visitors are not allowed to access the pool, gym or other hotel guest amenities.

Chiquita welcomes residents to stop in if needed.

HOURS
Daily: Monday through Sunday | 7:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.

DATES
July 14, 2026 — August 14, 2026

LOCATION
Embassy Suites
28508 Westinghouse Place, Santa Clarita, CA 91355

During the next several weeks, Chiquita Canyon Landfill will be conducting work at the west toe of the landfill as part ...
07/13/2026

During the next several weeks, Chiquita Canyon Landfill will be conducting work at the west toe of the landfill as part of its continued mitigation of the ongoing elevated landfill temperature (ETLF) event or reaction.

Settlement in the reaction area has caused movement of the west toe. To ensure there is no further movement, Chiquita will be constructing a stabilizing buttress. This project will include areas of excavation into the toe of slope to tie the buttress into the existing liner. Although there is a low risk of excavation into waste, it is possible.

There may be increased odors associated with this work. Chiquita is working closely with its regulators to minimize impacts to the community associated with this project.

While this work is being conducted, Chiquita has established a “Cool Zone” at the Embassy Suites Hotel located off Newhall Ranch Road and I-5 for residents of Val Verde and Castaic. The Cool Zone is in a large meeting room space at the hotel and is set up with TV, Wi-Fi, worktables, fresh fruit, and ice water. Chiquita welcomes residents to stop in if needed.

08/07/2025

POSTPONED: Community Information Meeting

As a result of the fire evacuation orders for the communities of Val Verde and parts of Castaic, we are postponing tonight's Community Information Meeting.

Once a new date and time are scheduled, we will share those details.

We hope everyone remains safe.

07/28/2025

How long the ETLF will last is still unknown.

ETLF events are unique, and they are relatively rare occurrences in the landfill industry. Only approximately 10 to 15 other large-scale ETLF events have ever been recognized by experts in the history of the industry. There is no scientific consensus on how long an ETLF will last, the ETLF conditions may continue for years.

Chiquita remains dedicated to addressing these conditions and data indicates that our mitigation measures are working as intended.

07/22/2025

At Chiquita Canyon, safety and compliance are our top priorities. When tests showed that some of our leachate contained hazardous levels of benzene, we took immediate action:

🔘 Hazardous liquid was safely treated and disposed of offsite, following all regulations.
🔘 We acted quickly to protect our community and the environment, even with limited disposal options for hazardous waste in the U.S.

Because of these safety measures, there is no risk to the community. We remain committed to strict safety standards and full compliance with all environmental laws.

07/18/2025

Capturing gas and liquid is an important way we are working to slow down the ETLF at Chiquita Canyon. Here’s how we do it:

🔘 Gravity-fed system: As waste breaks down, liquids move down through the landfill to the bottom liner, where special pipes collect and direct the liquid to secure tanks.
🔘 Dual extraction wells: We have installed about 292 wells that pull both gas and liquid out of the landfill at the same time.

These measures help us manage the landfill safely and protect our community.

07/17/2025

We have been working side by side with local, state, and federal regulatory bodies and independent experts to design and implement a coordinated response to the ETLF, including the establishment of a Multi-Agency Critical Action Team. The data shows that our mitigation efforts are working, and we will continue our mitigation efforts for the foreseeable future.

Regulatory partners include:
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
California Environmental Protection Agency
Department of Toxic Substances Control
Regional Water Quality Control Board
California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment
CalRecycle
Los Angeles County Department of Public Health
Los Angeles County Department of Public Works
Los Angeles County Department of Regional Planning
Los Angeles County Department of Public Health

We appreciate the ongoing collaboration and support from our partners as we work together to address this rare and unique issue.

07/15/2025

We are committed to protecting public safety and have employed every technical specialist, expert-recommended action, and tactic in coordination with the government to address the unique ETLF event at Chiquita Canyon. Here are the key actions we’ve taken to date:

✅ Installed about 235 wells (many with pumps) to remove hot gases and liquids from the landfill
✅ Laid 50 miles of pipe across the landfill for gas and liquid management
✅ Destroyed harmful landfill gas compounds by converting them into harmless compounds using gas flares
✅ Managed, treated, and disposed of liquids as needed
✅ Covered 44 acres of waste with a geosynthetic cover to help control odors
✅ Provided $23.5 million in monthly stipends and distributed over 1,700 air filters to community members
✅ Hold monthly community meetings and offer 24/7 air quality data on our website

We will keep investing in advanced mitigation technologies and maintain open communication with residents and regulators.

For more information, we invite you to attend our next community meeting on August 7, 2025 at 6:00pm.

07/14/2025

We care deeply about the health and well-being of our community. That’s why we partnered with independent toxicologists and supported a study by the USC Cancer Surveillance Program. Their thorough review of the ETLF and landfill found:

🔘 No cancer cluster
🔘 No expected short- or long-term health impacts

We remain committed to transparency and will continue to keep you informed every step of the way.

Address

29201 Henry Mayo Drive
Castaic, CA
91384

Telephone

(661) 257-3655

Website

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