SANTA CLARITA VALLEY, Los Angeles County — October 27, 2026. California Attorney General Rob Bonta and the Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) filed a new civil lawsuit Tuesday against companies responsible for the Chiquita Canyon Landfill. The complaint accuses the landfill’s owners and operators, including Waste Connections entities, of unlawfully managing hazardous waste generated during an underground heat and chemical reaction. These are allegations in a newly filed lawsuit, not findings of liability by a court.
The case represents a new legal development since California58 reported on a state audit of Los Angeles County’s public-health response to the landfill on October 21. The earlier article focused on government response and community communications; Tuesday’s action specifically targets alleged misconduct by landfill operators and seeks judicial remedies.
What the state alleges
According to California DOJ and DTSC, a subsurface elevated-temperature event that began in 2022 has spread beneath the 639-acre facility. The state says the affected area grew from around 20 acres to at least 90 acres and has produced large quantities of contaminated liquid, known as leachate, and troublesome gases and odors.
The agencies allege multiple hazardous-waste handling problems, including improper management, storage and transportation of leachate. In one example, state officials say an estimated 8,000 gallons spilled in November 2025 into an on-site basin not permitted for hazardous-waste storage. The state also alleges stormwater mixed with leachate reached Castaic Creek in late December 2025.
DTSC says the complaint contains a dozen causes of action. The Attorney General is seeking civil penalties, orders to prevent future pollution and other relief, including a possible abatement fund. No final court judgment on these newly filed claims was reported at the time of publication.
Which communities are affected?
The landfill is in the Santa Clarita Valley near Val Verde, Castaic and Hasley Canyon. State officials also identify communities including Halsey Hills, North Bluffs, Live Oak and Williams Ranch. The landfill stopped accepting new waste on January 1, 2025, but the underground reaction and related regulatory oversight have continued.
The new complaint is not a direct compensation program for residents. Anyone seeking health, odor or cleanup information should follow official updates and distinguish monitoring reports, allegations, enforcement orders and actual court rulings.
What does the company say?
In its latest publicly filed quarterly report, Waste Connections says it is vigorously defending itself in existing lawsuits associated with Chiquita Canyon, while acknowledging uncertainty about potential outcomes. That filing predates the state’s October 27 suit and should not be presented as the company’s specific response to this new case. California58 will update this story if a case-specific response or ruling becomes available.
Read the documents and previous coverage
The California Attorney General’s announcement links to the filed civil complaint. The DTSC release describes the alleged violations and relief sought. For the company’s disclosures, see its September 30, 2026 quarterly SEC filing. For the separate prior state audit, read California58’s October 21 investigation.
Help this community newspaper grow
Your support helps build coverage for the people and places this local newspaper serves.
Donate once by card ↗Support Santa Clarita News
Choose how to support Santa Clarita News:
Credit / Debit Card via StripeChoose an amount from $1. One-time support through the publisher's LINKERNO Stripe account.
Continue with PayPal Continue with ZelleZelle payments go to Vitaly Ataev Troshin. Please verify the recipient in your bank before sending. Availability depends on your bank.
Optional reader support. When possible, add “Santa Clarita News” to the payment note. Contributions are not advertised as tax-deductible. Support does not influence editorial decisions.
COMMUNITY
Comments
Join the California58 conversation. You must be signed in to comment.
Create a free California58 account or sign in with an available social provider.