The South Coast Air Quality Management District issued an Order for Abatement on Thursday, March 20, requiring Sunshine Canyon Landfill to implement stricter and innovative measures to reduce odors that have been impacting the community.
Sunshine Canyon Landfill is located at 14747 San Fernando Road, Sylmar, CA 91342, adjacent to the Santa Clarita Valley. The landfill is located at the edge of the San Fernando Valley, near the I-5 and Antelope Valley freeway interchange.
The SCAQMD issued the following press release:
“Landfill operations can cause odors, particularly as waste decomposes and if not well controlled. Since January 2023, South Coast AQMD has received over 4,000 odor complaints from nearby residents and an elementary school regarding Sunshine Canyon Landfill.
During this period, South Coast AQMD has issued more than 150 Notices of Violation (NOVs) against the landfill for public nuisance, citing violations of the agency’s Rule 402 and California Health & Safety Code Section 41700. Sunshine Canyon Landfill has worked cooperatively with South Coast AQMD to incorporate additional measures and practices to minimize odor impacts.
The order requires Sunshine Canyon Landfill to take additional actions including:
— Odor Prevention with Microbiology: Use aerobic microbiology solutions during waste operations to
reduce odors like “fresh trash” and methane.
— Closure Turf Feasibility: Explore installing gas and leachate systems without disturbing existing
closure turfs designed to prevent erosion and emissions.
— Enhanced Emissions Data: Pilot advanced methods like drones and robotic vehicles to identify
potential problem areas and collect more real-time data, including in the evening.
— Odor Neutralization: Apply odor neutralizers and microbiology-based solutions at transfer stations
to control odors before disposal.
— Gas Movement: Test using larger granular materials such as gravel and crushed rock around landfill
gas wells to improve gas flow. These larger size materials create more space between particles,
allowing gas to move more freely and reducing pressure buildup.
— Daily Odor Patrols: Perform and document twice-daily patrols to identify odor sources and
leachate seeps.
Sunshine Canyon Landfill is a Title V facility, operating under the federal Operating Permit Program for air pollution control. Sunshine Canyon Landfill is located at 14747 San Fernando Road, Sylmar, California and is owned and operated by Browning Ferris Industries of California, Inc. and Republic Services, Inc. Sunshine Canyon Landfill is classified as a Class III landfill and can only accept municipal solid waste, no hazardous waste can be accepted at the landfill.
Sunshine Canyon Landfill’s Solid Waste Facility Permit limit is 12,100 tons per day and the landfill receives roughly 9,000 tons of waste per day, handling approximately onethird of the daily waste of all of Los Angeles County.
In January 2025, Sunshine Canyon Landfill’s tonnage limits have been temporarily increased to 15,000 tons per day following approvals and emergency waivers issued by the Sunshine Canyon Landfill Local Enforcement Agency, the Regional Water Quality Control Board, and the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors to address the removal and disposal of fire debris.
South Coast AQMD has worked on multiple fronts to reduce odors from operations at the landfill. In 2009, the South Coast AQMD Hearing Board adopted an order requiring Sunshine Canyon Landfill operators to implement several improvements to mitigate odors. In January 2023, following record-breaking rainfall, odor complaints from the community increased significantly.
While Sunshine Canyon Landfill took steps that initially reduced complaints, heavy rainfall from Tropical Storm Hilary in August 2023 reversed those improvements, leading to another surge in complaints. The landfill has since taken additional measures to improve landfill gas collection.
However, a more comprehensive odor mitigation plan is necessary to address the ongoing impacts of wet conditions and erosion at the site. South Coast AQMD continues to collaborate with other regulatory agencies to resolve the odor issues.
The order was issued by the South Coast AQMD Hearing Board.
The Hearing Board is an independent panel that hears all sides of a case, weighs the evidence, and reaches a decision. The public was given the opportunity to testify, and evidence was received.
The South Coast AQMD is the regulatory agency responsible for improving air quality for large areas of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties, including the Coachella Valley.”
The county is looking to investigate Sunshine Canyon Landfill for continued odor issues after thousands of complaints and nearly 200 violation notices.
The use of a third 60-foot flare was approved by the South Coast Air Quality Management District late last week as a way of further mitigating the strong odors coming from Chiquita Canyon Landfill.
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The South Coast Air Quality Management District issued an Order for Abatement on Thursday, March 20, requiring Sunshine Canyon Landfill to implement stricter and innovative measures to reduce odors that have been impacting the community.
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The South Coast Air Quality Management District issued an Order for Abatement on Thursday, March 20, requiring Sunshine Canyon Landfill to implement stricter and innovative measures to reduce odors that have been impacting the community.
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