The Toyon Canyon Landfill is a controversial
landfill
A landfill site, also known as a tip, dump, rubbish dump, garbage dump, or dumping ground, is a site for the disposal of waste materials. Landfill is the oldest and most common form of waste disposal, although the systematic burial of the waste ...
wholly within
Griffith Park
Griffith Park is a large municipal park at the eastern end of the Santa Monica Mountains, in the Los Feliz neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. The park includes popular attractions such as the Los Angeles Zoo, the Autry Museum of the Ameri ...
in the
Los Feliz hillside neighborhood of
greater Hollywood in central
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
in the
Santa Monica Mountains. Filling began in 1957 and ended in 1985. A lawsuit in 1959 attempted to stop the project but was unsuccessful. A summary of the lawsuit is availabl
here There was a move in the 1980s to expand the landfill int
Royce's Canyonto the northwest, but that was defeated.
Landfill gas
Landfill gas is a mix of different gases created by the action of microorganisms within a landfill as they decompose organic waste, including for example, food waste and paper waste. Landfill gas is approximately forty to sixty percent methane, ...
is collected from the decomposing waste and used for power generation. The landfill is managed by th
Los Angeles Bureau of Sanitationwhich plans to have "low intensity open meadow area intended for passive recreational activities". The landfill was 'closed' (to the specifications of the regulatory agencies) as of December 31, 2008. The landfill will be maintained and monitored in accordance with
SCAQMD 1150.1, provisions of
AB 32
The Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006, or Assembly Bill (AB) 32, is a California State Law that fights global warming by establishing a comprehensive program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from all sources throughout the state. AB32 was c ...
, and other regulations for at least 30 years. The landfill is being landscaped with native plants such as
toyon,
oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus ''Quercus'' (; Latin "oak tree") of the beech family, Fagaceae. There are approximately 500 extant species of oaks. The common name "oak" also appears in the names of species in related genera, notably ''L ...
,
California poppy,
lupine and others, while non-native plants such as
mustard and
tumbleweed
A tumbleweed is a structural part of the above-ground anatomy of a number of species of plants. It is a diaspore that, once mature and dry, detaches from its root or stem and rolls due to the force of the wind. In most such species, the tumble ...
are being actively removed.
In June 2012 the
Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board approved a revised Waste Discharge Requirements (permit) for Toyon Canyon, after opportunity for public input. It took effect July 1, 2012.
The landfill is clearly visible from
California State Route 2,
Route 134 (Ventura Freeway) and
I-5 freeways in Los Angeles and from the surrounding hillsides. It's also visible on Google Earth. ( 34° 8'38.36"N 118°18'6.29"W)
During the
May 2007 fire in Griffith Park, the
helispot
Helitack crews are teams of Wildfire suppression, wildland firefighters who are transported by helicopter to wildfires. Helicopters provide rapid transport, enabling helitack crews to quickly respond and assess a wildfire situation. Helitack cr ...
was used to help fight the fire. At times there were two helicopters on the pad and a third waiting to fill its tank.
Technical data
*Filled Area:
*Total Weight of Trash: 16,000,000 tons
*Total Volume of fill: 30,700,000 cubic yards
*Type of Material Disposed of: Class III waste (residential garbage, street sweepings,
Construction and demolition waste
Construction waste or debris is any kind of debris from the construction process. Different government agencies have clear definitions. For example, the United States Environmental Protection Agency EPA defines construction and demolition materi ...
)
*Number of Gas Extraction Wells: 200 approx.
*Active Groundwater Monitoring Wells: 13
*Landfill Gas Migration Monitoring Probes: 16 (single and multi-depth)
*Ambient Air Monitoring Stations: 2
*AQMD Site permits (on AQMD's site with emissions and compliance data)
LA CityPower Plant - current
an
Power Plant - older
*Power Generation Equipment: 2 internal combustion engines
*Power Plant Owner
*Power Plant Operator
ref>
*Landfill Gas Flare
John Zink
diameter, 5 burner tips, 2000 cfm capacity (on standby).
*Regulatory Agencies: United States Environmental Protection Agency
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is an independent executive agency of the United States federal government tasked with environmental protection matters. President Richard Nixon proposed the establishment of EPA on July 9, 1970; it be ...
Cal. EPACalifornia Integrated Waste Management Board
California Air Resources Board, SCAQMD
State Water Resources Control Board - Los Angeles
an
Movies and television
Like much of Los Angeles and Southern California, Griffith Park has been used in countless movies and television shows. Toyon Canyon, the adjoining section Mt. Hollywood Drive, and associated areas have appeared in the following (among others):
*Ghost Whisper - several times
*E.R. - doubling for Croatia
*Terminator 3
*Grey's Anatomy - the crash that leads to the death of Dr. McDreamy
*Scorpion - 2 episodes
*Mad Men
*Jericho
*Criminal Minds
*The Unit
*Splinter
*The Fast and the Furious
*2 Fast 2 Furious
*The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift
*Sons of Anarchy
*numerous commercials for cars
a notable commercial for car insurance
*a music video
*several student films
See also
*Landfill in the United States
Municipal solid waste (MSW) – more commonly known as Waste, trash or garbage – consists of everyday items people use and then throw away, such as product packaging, grass clippings, furniture, clothing, bottles, food scraps and papers. In ...
References
External links
LAcitysan.org: Toyon Canyon Landfill factsheetLeagle.com: Griffith v. City of Los Angeles Lawsuit (1950-1985)
{{coord, 34, 08, 38.36, N, 118, 18, 06.29, W, type:landmark_source:enwiki-plaintext-parser, display=title
Landfills in California
Griffith Park
Environment of Los Angeles
Santa Monica Mountains
1957 establishments in California
Former landfills in California