Lineage Completes Full Cleanup of Food Waste at Boyle Heights Warehouse, Confirmed by South Coast AQMD

Los Angeles, Calif., September 5, 2026 – Lineage, Inc. today announced the completion of all food waste cleanup activities at the Boyle Heights warehouse facility at 1400 S. Los Palos Street.  

The South Coast Air Quality Management District (South Coast AQMD) confirmed that Lineage has met the September 5 deadline imposed by its abatement order to complete full food and other debris removal, power washing, cleaning, and disinfecting of the interior of the 491,000-square-foot site. This marks an important milestone in the most ambitious and comprehensive remediation effort within the cold storage industry, following the fire that broke out on the roof of the facility​ on June 17, 2026​.

“No cleanup of this scale and speed has ever been executed before, and none of it would have been possible without the extraordinary courage and dedication of first responders, remediation crews and Lineage team members who worked around the clock to ensure ​the fastest possible comprehensive response,” said Greg Lehmkuhl, President and CEO of Lineage. “Core to who we are as a company is a deep commitment to show up for the communities where we live and work, as well as for the businesses and people who depend on us to store the food that ends up on dinner tables throughout our communities and around the world. We approached the challenge of this cleanup with that same mindset and that same commitment to doing right by our neighbors.”

“From the moment this fire broke out, Lineage took immediate action, built a plan, and activated a team on the ground to get this unprecedented job done,” said Jeff Rivera, Chief Operations Officer of Lineage. “This was an immense effort with a dynamic set of circumstances, approached with steadfast dedication to move as quickly as possible while prioritizing safety at every step. We are profoundly grateful to each and every first responder who battled the blaze in the early days and to every worker and team member who showed up day and night for more than two months to see this through. And to our neighbors in Boyle Heights and East LA: We have been listening and are deeply appreciative of the patience, grace and kindness you have extended to our team throughout the entire cleanup effort. Thank you.”

Unprecedented Cleanup Effort

The cleanup operation stands as an unprecedented undertaking within the cold storage industry. Beginning July 7, following the transfer of the site from the Los Angeles Fire Department, Lineage mobilized hundreds of contractors, environmental experts and emergency response experts as well as redeployed existing Lineage team members to work continuously around the clock. In less than two months, the Company removed more than 89 million pounds of food waste, safely demolished the fire-damaged structure, and completed full power washing and disinfection under the supervision of more than 20 local, state, and federal agencies, and in accordance with the AQMD order.

Lineage invested more than $100 million and 210,000 worker-hours in the effort. Throughout the process the Company deployed misting systems around the building perimeter, erected temporary enclosure barriers to contain debris and reduce odors, conducted continuous air quality monitoring, and provided regular updates to the community through its website, email alerts, door-to-door outreach, and ongoing community meeting participation.

Lineage will continue to work closely with South Coast AQMD to implement the remaining requirements of the AQMD order. This includes continuing to conduct fenceline and community air monitoring and making the data available at Lineage’s dedicated response and recovery website. Lineage remains committed to these efforts and keeping the community updated as it has to date.

Ongoing Community Outreach and Investment

From the outset, Lineage committed to more than a cleanup and consistently supported the community throughout the emergency response and subsequent cleanup and recovery efforts. The Company deployed more than $3.3 million in support including a $2 million dollar donation to the California Community Foundation, a $100,000 donation to United Way 211, and direct assistance to neighboring residents with cash assistance, air purifiers, masks, air conditioners, grocery vouchers, bottled water, utility assistance and more.

Lineage’s commitment to the people and community of Boyle Heights continues beyond this milestone, and the Company remains dedicated to ongoing and transparent communication with neighbors and local community organizations to understand ongoing needs.

For more information, please visit: https://www.onelineage.com/boyle-heights-fire-response.

Media Contact
Megan Hendricksen
VP, Global Marketing & Communications
pr@onelineage.com