In Avenal, California, residents say conditions near the local landfill have become “unbearable,” alleging in a lawsuit that noxious gases have been released into the air.
Residents accuse the companies that own the landfill of letting a preventable environmental hazard worsen.
Here’s what to know
KSEE/KGPE reported that 43 Avenal residents sued Waste Connections and Madera Disposal Systems, describing the situation as “the ongoing environmental disaster at the Avenal Regional Landfill.” The complaint says fumes and odors from the site have caused headaches, nosebleeds, respiratory issues, and heart problems.
According to the complaint, everyone in the city — about 14,000 people — lives within 1.5 miles of the landfill.
A healthy landfill typically remains around 140 degrees Fahrenheit, the suit says, as the outlet noted. Because decomposing waste creates heat, proper maintenance is needed to keep temperatures from rising to levels that cause big problems, including underground fires and the release of hazardous fumes.
According to the suit, CalRecycle began recording gas readings above 145 degrees at the site in 2024. Court documents say temperatures there exceed 160 degrees.
More background
At those temperatures, one concern is a subsurface fire, a serious landfill hazard. Such events can cause collapse, pollute groundwater, create hazardous waste, and send toxic gases into nearby neighborhoods.
Residents say there were warning signs. The suit points to a 2020 petition seeking the landfill’s closure and says the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District investigated 249 complaints between 2020 and 2025, nearly all involving odor, per KSEE/KGPE.
Regulators also cited the landfill in separate actions. In August 2023, the Regional Water Board issued a notice of violation for failing to promptly report water quality sample results. In April 2024, CalRecycle flagged inadequate documentation of an odor complaint.
What’s being done?
According to KSEE/KGPE, the residents are seeking remediation of the landfill issues along with damages for past medical costs and future health monitoring.
Regulators have documented elevated temperatures, odor-related concerns, and reporting failures. Those records could be important in determining whether the landfill operators ignored warning signs that should have prompted action.
Where can I learn more?
Other landfill disputes feature odor complaints, fires, and toxic emissions.
• In Los Angeles County, staggering amounts of air pollution from Chiquita Canyon alarmed nearby residents.
• In Kansas, rotten-egg landfill odors brought headaches and fears of a fire below.
• Across the United States, 17 unmonitored toxic landfills raised fears about PFAS in water.
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