NASTY AND TOXIC

5-day-old landfill fire in Tijuana affecting residents on both sides of the border

A haze can be seen over the city of Tijuana where a landfill fire has been burning for five days. (Salvador Rivera/Border Report)

by: Salvador Rivera
Posted: Jun 7, 2024 

SAN DIEGO (Border Report) — For five days now, a fire has been burning in a Tijuana landfill and its smoke is becoming a hazard for people on both sides of the border.

Marisol Montaño, director of Hagamos Conciencia, an environmental group in Baja California, says the smoke and tiny particles filtering into the air represent a danger, especially for people with respiratory issues.

“Exposure to the smoke, even in the short term, could have adverse reactions in people’s lungs, make it hard to breath, and could lead to cardiovascular problems,” said Montaño. “It’s been five days already, if this goes for a longer period, we’re talking a lot of lung problems and throat irritations.”
These cities have the dirtiest air, new report finds

Montaño says the carbons coming from burnt plastic and synthetics can get into people’s lungs and bloodstream.

“The biggest concern is in the areas immediately around the landfill, but these particles are spreading throughout the city and beyond.”

People who live in communities just north of the border report seeing a constant film of smoke and a strong odor “like an electrical fire.”

Tijuana’s air quality as poor as Mexico City, environmental group says

Montaño is recommending people who live near the fire cease all outdoor activities and seek medical attention immediately if they are having trouble breathing.

The Tijuana Fire Department says it has not been called to the landfill to put the fire out because the company that operates the facility, Ecowaste, has decided for the time being, to let the fire burn itself out.

The San Diego County Air Pollution Control District says it has not received any calls from residents, but it has promised to see if anything unusual is showing up in its gauges and air-quality monitors near the border.