Pg. 1Introduction to Landfills Pg. 2 Map of Landfill Pg. 3 Leachate Treatment/Collection Pg. 4 Contamination & Pollution Pg. 5Geological Features Pg. 6 Methane Use Pg. 7 Picture a Mini-Landfill Pg. 8 Data Table

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A Look at a Landfill Cedar Hills Regional Landfill Procedural Landfill 2

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A plastic and a clay layer beneath the garbage prevents contamination of ground water. Prevention Today, No Problem Tomorrow 30 year post-closure monitoring period upon landfill closure. It takes about 5 minutes to unload an 18-ton trailer full of garbage. Every day, we add approximately 2,000 tons of garbage to the landfill! As many as a dozen trailers may be unloading at the same time. 4

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Did Someone Pass Gas? One of the main problems and reasons for high cost of landfills is the methane use. Methane is a highly flammable, colorless, odorless gas produced from decomposition in landfills. Methane gas is pumped out of landfills in pipes and taken to a storage house for it, where it is then used as fuel or an energy source, or used in other compounds like chloroform or methylene chloride. * Landfill gas, a byproduct of the decomposition of garbage, is collected and piped to a flare station, where it is burned. 6

Pictures From a Landfill 7

10/22/0810/29/0811/05/0811/12/0811/19/08 Total Weight of Contents g94.51g90.35g87.78g87.56g Observation of Trash Becomes moist Very soggyTurns black Remains black Break- down A Soil Very moist Soil remains moist Slight discolorat ion Holds in moisture Soil never dries B Toxic Waste Comes to top Remains sedentary Cannot be seen Causes smell Bottom of bottle Still stinks Remains at bottom smell persists C Trash Becomes moist Very soggyTurns black Remains black Break- down D Soil Very moist Soil remains moist Slight discolorat ion Holds in moisture Soil never dries 8

My Final Words (Conclusion) 1) We deposit solid waste into the ground so that it cannot pollute the air or the water. But once in the ground the waste breaks down and through reactions can cause numerous outcomes. 2) Trash is broken down, due to the darkness, mild temp, and sometimes moisture. But in some cases can take long periods of time to do so, or not at all. 3) My landfill’s physical characteristics did not change, but there sure was a chemical change occurring, denoted by the smell, percipient, and the water’s change of color. 4) This is like an actual landfill in the fact that these processes do occur, but due to the massive size differences these changes could occur faster or slower and can actually effect the environment. 5) In my own home, we could recycle more to reduce the amount of waste put into landfills, and advocate recycling in other households. * The purpose of the experiment was achieved, because through the mini-landfill I was about to see what happens at a landfill, and through the research I was about to learn about the operation of a landfill. 9

Works Cited