A burst hydrogen peroxide line on the Chiquita Canyon Landfill injured one particular person Friday night, based on the Los Angeles County Fireplace Division.
It wasn’t instantly clear whether or not there was any ensuing harm on the Castaic facility, however hazardous-material groups from the Fireplace Division have been persevering with to scrub up as of shortly earlier than 10 p.m., based on company spokesperson Craig Little.
Firefighters initially responded to stories of an explosion on the landfill at 7 p.m. Friday, however Little stated it was quickly decided there was no blast. The difficulty was a mechanical failure of a small high-pressure hose throughout regular operations.
One landfill worker was taken to a hospital after the hose burst, Little stated, however the extent of the employee’s accidents was unknown.
He stated nobody else was injured within the incident.
Little stated the burst hose didn’t look like associated to ongoing cleanup for a fire burning contained in the landfill.
The U.S. Environmental Safety Company on Thursday ordered Chiquita Canyon to take rapid steps to guard the surroundings and human well being, saying the smoldering facility poses an imminent hazard to close by communities as a consequence of hazardous liquid waste and noxious odors.
Scorching temperatures throughout the dump have elevated and expanded since as early as Might 2022, when a heat-generating chemical response is estimated to have began deep within the landfill. The response has caused pressure to build throughout the 639-acre facility at occasions, forcing contaminated, piping-hot water to burst onto the floor.
Federal environmental regulators have stated this polluted water has contained cancer-causing benzene above federal requirements.
Officers and residents have additionally raised considerations that poisonous fumes are drifting from the landfill to close by communities and that polluted water has been discharged into close by waterways.
Waste Connections Inc., the landfill operator, is attempting to gradual and ultimately cease the chemical response by eradicating extra gases and liquid, based on landfill officers.
L.A. County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, who represents communities surrounding Chiquita Canyon, stated continued incidents on the landfill like Friday’s “clearly sign {that a} main change in administration and management is required instantly.”
“I’ve misplaced religion that the continued points with the landfill will ever be resolved until these lengthy overdue modifications are made,” she stated in an announcement.
Chiquita Canyon is barely one of many county’s dumps facing increased scrutiny.
Sunshine Canyon in Sylmar, the one landfill bigger than Chiquita Canyon in Los Angeles County, is coping with a distinct environmental disaster: Water intrusion has fueled micro organism development. The state of affairs has introduced months of putrid odors to surrounding communities.
Instances employees author Tony Briscoe contributed to this report.
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