The Toyon Canyon Landfill was a controversial landfill wholly within Los Angeles' Griffith Park. 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 available here. There was a move in the 1980s to expand the landfill into Royce's Canyon, but that was defeated.
Currently, landfill gas is collected from the decomposing waste and used for power generation. The landfill is currently managed by the Los Angeles Bureau of Sanitation which 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 Dec. 31, 2008. The landfill will be maintained and monitored in accordance with SCAQMD 1150.1, upcoming provisions of AB 32, and other regulations for at least 30 years. Currently the landfill is being landscaped with native plants (such as: Toyon, Oak, California poppy, Lupine, among others), while non-natives (such as mustard and tumbleweed) are being actively removed.
The landfill is clearly visible from the California Routes 2 & 134 and Interstate 5 freeways in Los Angeles and from the surrounding hillsides, of course. It's also dramatically visible on Google Earth. ( 34° 8'38.36"N 118°18'6.29"W)
During the May 2007 fire in Griffith Park, the helispot was used to great effect to help fight the fire. At times there were 2 choppers on the pad and one waiting to tank up.
Contents |
Filled Area: 90 acres (360,000 m2)
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)
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 City, Power Plant - current, and Power Plant - older.
Power Generation Equipment: 2 internal combustion engines
Power Plant Owner: Viridis Clean Energy
Power Plant Operator: SCS Engineers
Landfill Gas Flare: John Zink 8-foot (2.4 m) diameter, 5 burner tips, 2000 cfm capacity (currently on standby).
Regulatory Agencies: United States Environmental Protection Agency, Cal. EPA, California Integrated Waste Management Board, California Air Resources Board, SCAQMD, State Water Resources Control Board - Los Angeles, City of Los Angeles - Industrial Waste Management Division, and City of Los Angeles - Environmental Affairs Department - Local Enforcement Agency.
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):