L.A. County Supervisors Focus on Fighting Illegal Mulch Dumping, Fires in Antelope Valley

Illegal mulch dumping in rural Antelope Valley region (Photo credit: LA County Public Works)

Today, Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger successfully introduced a motion mobilizing County resources to stop the illegal dumping of mulch in remote rural communities in the Antelope Valley.

According to local community members who have contacted Supervisor Barger’s office, private properties are illegally receiving and dumping mulch waste from more than 40 trucks a day. Some properties have mulch deposits over eight feet deep and spread across over 80 acres.

“Rural communities are suffering from illegal mulch dumping that is extreme and uncontrolled,” stated Supervisor Kathryn Barger. “This mulch is contaminated with other materials such as construction and debris waste, so this is also a very serious environmental issue. Our County needs to step up its work to cite and enforce every applicable regulation to put a stop to this illegal dumping, now. We cannot afford to simply point to the remote nature of the communities within the County that are being impacted. This is an environmental justice issue for the entire Antelope Valley that deserves our urgent attention.”

Mulch smoldering and on fire from Bravo Incident (Photo credit: LA County Fire Dept.)

Stockpiling mulch can cause some mulch deposits to spontaneously combust, resulting in smoldering and large scale fires that can take the County’s Fire Department days to extinguish. Last week, the most recent wildfire, named the Bravo Incident, burned for four days at a remote mulch dump property and covered the entire Antelope Valley in smoke. The four days of firefighting cost Los Angeles County Fire nearly $300,000 to extinguish the mulch fires.

Supervisor Barger’s motion notably directs Los Angeles County’s Public Health Department and the County’s legal team to identify all powers that local enforcement authorities have to enforce existing state regulations. Both entities are also tasked with recommending legislation to strengthen enforcement of current state regulations and regulation of private companies and individuals involved in producing, recycling, and disposing of mulch and other compostable materials. A report back to the Board of Supervisors is due in 21 days.