Landfills

Municipal solid waste (MSW) Any waste produced by the community (homes, business, schools) Does not include waste from construction, industry or agriculture

MSW Facts 4.5 lbs of trash produced/ person/ day Americans produce 2x as much trash compared to the world average USA produced 250 million tons of trash in 2010. Since 1960, MSW has continued to increase. More trash produced now than ever.

How do we handle solid waste? We burn it, bury it or recycle it. EPA 2013 Waste Breakdown 32.5% recycled 12.5% burned 55% goes to landfills

What happens in our area? Data from the EPA 2013. State Recycled Combusted Landfill Est. Total Recycle % PA 4,465,949 3,084,639 5,902,677 14,249,335 32% NJ 4,346,256 2,129,852 4,384,975 10,880,082 40% NY 2,246,064 3,686,097 10,263,710 17,525,006 13% OH 2,461,594 9,126,809 12,729,405 19% DE 152,919 672,761 1,022,328 15%

Waste classification Controlled= regulated Inert= does not decompose (sand, concrete) Non-hazardous= not dangerous for public or environment Hazardous= radioactive waste, medical wastes, explosive, oils, chemicals Agriculture= pesticides, fertilizers, animal waste Mines= Iron sulfides from acid mine drainage

Landfills vs Dumps Landfill= structured area for trash deposit with regulations Dump= hole where trash is dumped

1. Unsanitary Open Dumps Rarely used in the U.S. Not regulated Area where anyone can come and dump their waste (any sort of waste) Smelly & a health hazard Pests and animals found here Contaminates water/soil Fire hazard from methane release

2. Sanitary Landills Regulated area where communities pay to have trash taken care of Precautions in place to stop contamination of water & soil Contains a liner to protect from contamination Supposed to allow only certain materials into landfills

Anatomy of a Working Landfill Bottom up… Daily Cover At the end of each day, waste is covered with 6-12 inches of soil. reduces odors keeps litter from blowing away deters scavengers/animals/rodents Waste Waste is compacted in layers to reduce its volume. Sand/Gravel Layer Collects leachate (liquid produced from waste) and funnels it to leachate pip system below. Leachate Pipe System Pipes collect leachate and pump it out of the landfill and to a water treatment plant, retention pond, or another proper method of disposal. Geomembrane – Plastic Layer A thick plastic layer lines the landfills and prevents leachate from entering the ground. The plastic is made from high-density polyethylene which is tough and impermeable. Clay Layer Compacted Clay is first laid in the landfill space to form a barrier to prevent leachate leaks to protect the soil and hold the trash in place. Clay is used due to its moldable and impermeability qualities.

Clay Layer

Geomembrane liner

Refuse cell

Leachate Collection/ Sand & gravel

Methane Collection/Flare

Daily Cover (soil or alternatives)

Final Cap (closed landfill)

Turn closed landfills into parks or golf courses

Concerns about landfills Contamination of water/soil Methane production  lead to fires or explosions Sinking  over time, trash settles and sinks; makes landfills hard to build on Communities do not want landfills near their homes Consider location when building Height of water table, is it near any faults, is the area prone to landslides or sinkholes?