Methods of LandfillingMethods of Landfilling

ENVM 649: Principles of Waste Management and Pollution Control

Dr. Robert Beauchamp

AREA METHODAREA METHOD

EXCAVATION - FLAT SURFACE

COMPACTION/LINER

SUCCESSIVE LAYERS-WASTE

INTERMEDIATE COVER-SOIL

RAMP METHODRAMP METHOD

FOR SLOPING SURFACE

EXCAVATE WORKING FACE

COMPACTION & COVER WITH SOIL

TRENCH METHODTRENCH METHOD

EXCAVATE PARALLEL

TRENCHES/NO LINER

CONSTRUCT BERMS

TRENCHES PERPENDICULAR TO WIND DIRECTION

COVER WITH SOIL

LANDFILL CAPACITY/AIR SPACELANDFILL CAPACITY/AIR SPACE

CAPACITY: – CONSIDERATIONS-AREA TO BE COVERED, DEPTH OF

WASTE, RATIO OF WASTE TO SOIL. RATIO OF 4 TO 1 IS BEST.

AIR SPACE: – THE VOLUME AVAILABLE INTO WHICH WASTE AND

COVER CAN BE PLACED.

DISADVANTAGES OF A SANITARY LANDFILLDISADVANTAGES OF A SANITARY LANDFILL

AESTHETICS (LITTER)

GASES

LEACHATE

BIRDS

FIRES

ODORS

PESTS

INJURY FROM SCAVENGING

GAS CONTROLGAS CONTROL

> 5% = EXPLOSIVE

METHANE KILLS VEGETATION

GAS MIGRATION FOLLOWS PATH OF LEAST RESISTANCE.

BAROMETRIC PRESSURE EFFECTS.

SOIL EFFECTS

GAS RECOVERY SYSTEMSGAS RECOVERY SYSTEMS

PASSIVE VENTS - TRENCHES OR GAS VENTED TO ATMOSPHERE.

ACTIVE SYSTEM - REMOVES GAS UNDER VACUUM FROM LANDFILL.

CONTROL GAS MIGRATIONCONTROL GAS MIGRATION

INSTALL RECOVERY WELLS NEAR LANDFILL PERIMETER.

– IF METHANE CONCENTRATION > 15% WILL SUPPORT FLAME, GAS CAN BE FLARED

– METHANE CONCENTRATION > 35% - RECOVER ENERGY.

NOTE: ANY TRACE CONTAMINANTS CAN BE

CAPTURED BY PASSING GAS THROUGH A CARBON

FILTER.

LEACHATE CONTROLLEACHATE CONTROL

WATER PASSING THROUGH WASTE CREATES LEACHATE.

LEACHATE GENERATION:– RATES = AMOUNT OF H2O IN = AMOUNT OF LEACHATE

OUT (LAG).

INFLUENCED BY:– CLIMATE

– SITE TOPO. VEGETATIVE COVER

– FINAL SOIL COVER

– OPERATING PROCEDURES.

PREDICTING LEACHATE PRODUCTION RATESPREDICTING LEACHATE PRODUCTION RATES

PROCEDURE:

CALCULATE A WATER BALANCE

HELP MODEL - CALCULATES A WATER BALANCE

SIMULATES WATER MOVEMENT. 

PREVENTING LEACHATE MOVEMENT INTO UNDERLYING SOILPREVENTING LEACHATE MOVEMENT INTO UNDERLYING SOIL

REGULATORY AGENCIES REQUIRE LINER TO HAVE A PERMEABILITY < 10-7 CM/SEC.

LEACHATE REMOVALLEACHATE REMOVAL

= OR > 1 FOOT OF LEACHATE

COLLECTION PIPES TO A STORAGE TANK & REMOVAL.

LEACHATE TREATMENT OPTIONSLEACHATE TREATMENT OPTIONS

RECYCLING THROUGH THE LANDFILL

ON-SITE TREATMENT

DISCHARGE TO A SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANT.

COMBINATION OF APPROACHES