Orange County’s three county-run landfills are back to normal operations this week after facing a series of unexpected challenges, including a labor strike, a wildfire fueled by strong winds, and the year’s first rain. These events slowed trash disposal and forced the closure of public drop-off lanes, leading waste haulers to temporarily store trash at alternative locations.

Today, the Orange County Board of Supervisors is holding a special closed-door meeting to discuss new contract proposals from the union representing the county’s waste and public works employees. Although the union has paused its strike for now, they have warned that they are prepared to resume protests if the county does not offer a satisfactory deal.

On October 13, approximately 465 workers from Teamsters Local 952 went on strike at 4 a.m. due to stalled contract negotiations. Most of these employees work at the landfills, and their contract had expired back in June. The union rejected a one-year offer for a 3% raise, citing the Board of Supervisors’ earlier decision to raise their own salaries by 25%. They accused the county of unfair labor practices, claiming it was not negotiating in good faith. However, the county maintains that it continued to negotiate and improved its offer but only received a few hours’ notice before the workers walked out.

Picket lines formed at all three landfills: Frank R. Bowerman in Irvine, Olinda Alpha in Brea, and Prima Deshecha in San Juan Capistrano. Trucks lined up as waste haulers waited to drop off trash. Despite the turmoil, commercial and city haulers could still access the landfills, although wait times varied throughout the day, with law enforcement present for safety.

Residents attempting to drop off their own trash faced more challenges. Many were turned away from Prima Deshecha, and all soil and asphalt disposal, along with public compost and bulk pickup services, were closed. An event scheduled for October 17 to promote composting was also canceled. Olinda Alpha reopened to the public on October 16, although delays were still expected due to ongoing picketing.

The issues at the landfills hold significant importance beyond waste disposal; every city in Orange County that contracts waste-hauling services relies on these landfills.

On October 19, the county filed a complaint against the union, alleging that the union’s actions had moved from lawful strike activities to illegal actions that obstructed public facilities. The county claims that from October 13 to 17, picketers blocked roads, formed human chains, surrounded vehicles, and prevented county managers from entering the landfills. Some commercial trucks waited for hours, while others refused to deliver trash. There were also claims that union workers misled customers into believing one landfill was closed.

According to a senior official at the county’s waste management division, the Bowerman landfill, which typically processes about 8,000 tons of trash daily, only managed to handle between 1,100 and 2,000 tons during the strike. The county also reported that two striking workers were injured when vehicles accidentally ran over their feet, prompting the county to seek legal action to prevent further obstructions.

Union lawyers refuted the accusations, asserting that peaceful picketing is allowed under California labor law and that causing traffic delays does not make a strike illegal. They highlighted that the union had instructed picketers not to block traffic and that police had not issued any citations.

Amid the strike, another emergency arose: the Norte Fire broke out on October 16 near the Prima Deshecha Landfill. This fire resulted in the closure of the landfill to the public as firefighters worked to control the blaze. The fire damaged or destroyed several homes and injured two firefighters. Approximately 16,000 residents in San Juan Capistrano and San Clemente were under evacuation orders, but as of October 22, the fire was 98% contained.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation, with San Diego Gas & Electric reporting an outage in the area around the same time the fire started.

As of now, the landfills are back to full service, but the union remains vigilant, ready to resume strikes if necessary.

Curbside trash service has continued during the disruptions. Residents planning to haul their own waste, soil, or green waste, or those looking to drop off household hazardous waste, should check OC Waste & Recycling’s updates page at oclandfills.com/updates before making a trip and contact their local hauler with questions about pickup.