Chiquita Hearing continuing on April 19th,
320 W. Temple St, Los Angeles 90012
With a possible off-site video location in Santa Clarita

We will be car-pooling to the hearing. Contact exec@scope.org for more info.
In 1997, the community made a settlement agreement with the landfill operator that called for closure of the Chiquita Canyon landfill when it reached its then approved tonnage of 23 million tons. It has now reached that tonnage. At that time, Val Verde residents agreed to suffer from this unwanted neighbor another 20 years with the assurance that it would be closed. Now the County and the Operator are not keeping their promise. Instead, the landfill operator has proposed a doubling in size and truck trips on our local freeways. What does this mean to you? More air pollution and more traffic in our valley, not to mention wasteful dumping of trash instead of recycling.

How can PM2.5 air pollution from landfills and other sources affect your health?
Particles in the PM2.5 size range are able to travel deeply into the respiratory tract, reaching the lungs. Exposure to fine particles can cause short-term health effects such as eye, nose, throat and lung irritation, coughing, sneezing, runny nose and shortness of breath. Exposure to fine particles can also affect lung function and worsen medical conditions such as asthma and heart disease. Scientific studies have linked increases in daily PM2.5 exposure with increased respiratory and cardiovascular hospital admissions, emergency department visits and deaths. Studies also suggest that long term exposure to fine particulate matter may be associated with increased rates of chronic bronchitis, reduced lung function and increased mortality from lung cancer and heart disease. People with breathing and heart problems, children and the elderly may be particularly sensitive to PM2.5.

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