Marines close Camp Pendleton landfill indefinitely

The U.S. Marine Corps has closed a landfill at Camp Pendleton indefinitely, pending repairs, in response to a cease and desist order from water regulators citing environmental violations and contamination, inewsource.org reports.

Las Pulgas Landfill has faced multiple hurdles and violations since early 2000, when operators attempted to expand the facility, including the discovery of tears in the liners meant to prevent toxic fluids from seeping into the earth.

The Marines installed a temporary liner over the landfill that cost $4 million, according to Commander Steve Ramsey, public works officer at the base. Waste has since been diverted to the San Onofre Landfill, a municipal facility also owned and run by the Marines.

A tipping point came during tropical storm Hilary, when saturated grounds caused millions of gallons of leachate to have to be pumped into the stormwater system, which subsequently flows into Las Flores Creek and out into the Pacific Ocean.

The San Diego Regional Water Quality Control Board’s enforcement order demands that Marines cease taking in new loads of waste until the system can face “100 year storm events” without discharging polluted water into storm drains. During the pause, they will also have to repair the torn liner, finish construction and pass a water board inspection.

Water board Chair Celeste Cantu applauded the Marines for their cooperation.

“It looks like we’re going to have a performing landfill, which is really important,” Cantu says. “We’ve got to do better moving forward.”