Environmental

Effects Of
Landfill
V . Manikandan
BTE - 08 - 027

Land filling – Worst

Choice for the
Landfill- Environmental
Effects
@Landfilling of solid wastes - last option for disposition
of solid wastes.
@Landfilling can have several negative impacts upon
the surrounding environment both during
construction and after the landfill has been closed.
@A landfill will affect the surrounding environment
during a long time period.
@The effects depend upon the conditions at the
landfill, i.e.,
æ The waste composition and quantity,
æThe quality of environmental protection activities,
æOperation strategy,
æGeographical location,
æHydrological conditions at the location and time.
12/October/2010 Environmental Effects Of Landfilling 2
Cont..
@The emissions of gas and the environmental effects
caused by them have very different temporal
duration.

@Effects such as noise, dust and animals are linked to

the presence of exposed waste materials and these
effects are therefore only present during the
deposition phase.

@Effects such as global warming and fire hazard on the

other 1hand
) T h ecan
d e pbe
o sitio n p hduring
present a se , all three phases.
2) T h e a ctive p h a se ,
3) T h e p a ssive p h a se

12/October/2010 Environmental Effects Of Landfilling 3

 Environmental
Effects 3)Water environment
1)Air environment

§Surface water
§ Global warming. §Ground water
§ Ozone depletion §
§ Toxic gases 4)Temporal duration
§ Odor §The deposition
phase
§ Noise §The active phase
§ §The passive phase
§
2)Soil environment5)Health Effects


§ Birds,rodents,insects §Cancer,
§ Fly water, dust §Birth defects,
§ Explosion and fire §Genetic problem
hazard (mutations).
§
§ Vegetation damage
§ Soil pollution
12/October/2010 Environmental Effects Of Landfilling 4
Landfill border
Global warming

Ozone depletion

- Water environment
- Soil environment
- Air environment
Toxic gases
Odor
AIR
Noise

Birds,rodents,insects
Fly water, dust
Explosion and fire hazard
SOIL
Vegetation damage
Soil pollution

Surface water pollution

WATER
Ground water pollution

100km
10km
0.1km

1km

Potential environmental effects on soil , water and

12/October/2010 air as aEffects
Environmental function of
Of Landfilling 5
 Atmospheric Environment
-Global warming
æ Organic wastes deposited in landfills will typically
decompose biologically under anaerobic conditions
producing methane gas.

æMethane will escape to the atmosphere and add to

global warming because it is more powerful
greenhouse gas.

æMethane from landfills accounts for approximately 1-2%

of global greenhouse gas emissions.

æMethane produced at landfills can be collected via gas

extraction systems and used for energy production.
This will reduce global warming
12/October/2010 potential,
Environmental as
Effects the CO26
Of Landfilling
 Ozone depletion
 Chlorine and fluorine containing gases released to the
atmosphere are potentially harmful to the ozone layer.

 These gases are degraded photo chemically in the upper
atmosphere producing free chlorine and fluorine that
reacts with ozone and thereby deplete the ozone
concentrations that protects the earths surface from
the ultra violet rays of the sun.

 Many of the gases can potentially be degraded under the
anaerobic conditions existing in landfills but since the
gases are very volatile significant quantities significant
quantities will escape to the atmosphere.

 Controlled collection and combustion of the landfill gas
can reduce emissions of the ozone depleting gases.
12/October/2010 Environmental Effects Of Landfilling 7
 Toxic gases
æ Landfill gas contains significant concentrations of
compounds that are potentially toxic to humans. These
gases include mainly CO2 and H2S. Toxic gases are also
present in trace amounts in the landfill gas.
æ
æ Here benzene and vinyl chloride, dioxins and furans are
important due to their carcinogenic and toxic
properties. Dioxins and furans are normally produced
via uncontrolled combustion of the landfill gas.
æ
æ Vinyl chloride is a degradation product from
trichloroethylene, a solvent that can be degraded under
anaerobic conditions. Vinyl chloride itself is not very
degradable under anaerobic conditions and therefore
has the potential to reach the atmosphere.
æ
æ Controlled collection and combustion
12/October/2010 of landfill
Environmental Effects Ofgas will 8
Landfilling
 Odor
Problems only near the landfill areas. Important
odorous compounds are H2S and organic sulfur.
Odor problems are most significant during
deposition of the wastes at the landfill.

Odor problems can be reduced by minimizing
the amount of easily degradable material in
the landfill.

By keeping a small open waste front at the
landfill, by operating as far away from
inhabited areas during the summer as possible
and by placing landfills under consideration of
prevailing wind directions.
12/October/2010 Environmental Effects Of Landfilling 9
Noise
@Noise is one of the most significant nuisances near
the landfill and is created by the traffic of waste
trucks to and from the landfill.

@In special cases can birds especially seagulls create

their own noise problem.

@Constructing noise barriers around the landfill area

such as earthen walls and dense plantations can
reduce noise.

@Noise reduction can also be achieved by using

equipment that creates less noise and restricting
operation hours especially
12/October/2010during seasons
Environmental when
Effects Of Landfilling 10
Fly waste and dust.
@Dust and fly waste (waste transported by the
wind) can often be a nuisance near landfill
sites.

@Dust is especially a problem at sites where

ash and soil is deposited.

@Dust and fly waste can be reduced by using

only a small open waste front, by watering
dry wastes, by covering the wastes carefully
and by regular cleaning of the landfill area.
12/October/2010 Environmental Effects Of Landfilling 11
 Fire and explosion hazard.
The gas is explosive if between 5 and 15%
methane is mixed with atmospheric air.

Landfill gas is normally not a problem with
respect to explosion hazard if the gas is
emitted directly to the atmosphere.


The fire and explosion hazard can be reduced by

collection of the landfill gas, by minimizing the
amount of biodegradable waste deposited and
by installation of gas alarms in buildings near
the landfill.

12/October/2010 Environmental Effects Of Landfilling 12

Vegetation damage
Vegetation damage is often seen at or near
landfills without gas collection as the landfill
gas can migrate through the soil up to 100
m away from the landfill. Migration is most
significant at older landfills without
membrane systems.
Gas migration also depends upon the
surrounding soil type; sandy soils facilitate
faster gas movement.
Variations in precipitation and atmospheric
12/October/2010 Environmental Effects Of Landfilling 13
Soil pollution
 Movement and deposition of contaminated
dust (for instance from contaminated soil
or ash) can pollute the soil near the
landfill. Pollution can also spread by
surface water runoff from the landfill.

 Soil pollution is best prevented by
careful encapsulation of the waste and by
irrigation of dry dusty wastes. Also surface
water must be managed in a controlled
manner to prevent erosion of the landfill
surface.

12/October/2010 Environmental Effects Of Landfilling 14

 Water pollution
1)Surface water pollution
@If the drainage system for percolate and surface
water collection at the landfill site is
overloaded for instance in connection with
heavy rain or snow melting there is a chance
that the contaminated water can reach nearby
streams and lakes and cause severe damage to
their ecosystems.

@Acute effects are oxygen depletion and ammonia

toxicity.

@Effects of long-term contamination are changes

12/October/2010 Environmental Effects Of Landfilling 15
 Water pollution
2.) Ground water
pollution
@The ground water contamination potential is
perhaps the most significant environmental
hazard in connection with landfills.
@This has prompted the use of membrane
systems and percolate collection at modern
landfills.
@The use of membranes and percolate
collection systems has been introduced
some 20-30 years ago, percolate plumes in
the groundwater has generally only been
12/October/2010 Environmental Effects Of Landfilling 16
 Water pollution

2.) Ground water

pollution

@Ground water contamination can be

minimized by
æThe use of membranes,
æPercolate collection,
æLimitation in the types of waste that are
deposited
æMinimizing the infiltration to the waste
via the top layer.

12/October/2010 Environmental Effects Of Landfilling 17

Health Effects
æ Living in proximity to a poorly maintained
landfill or hazardous waste site can cause
serious health effects, especially in
children.

Health effects from exposure to hazardous

waste can include:

§ Cancer,
§ Birth defects,
§ Genetic (mutations)problem.

12/October/2010 Environmental Effects Of Landfilling 18

 Temporal duration of environmental
effects

 The environmental effects caused by

deposition of wastes at landfills have very different
temporal duration. The temporal duration can best
be discussed based on the state of the landfill.


 The lifecycle of a landfill can be divided into

three major phases.
 1) The deposition phase,

 2) The active phase, and

 3) the passive phase


12/October/2010 Environmental Effects Of Landfilling 19
The deposition phase
It is the period when the landfill is receiving waste.

During this phase also percolate and gas collection

systems are being constructed and operation will
start up as landfill sections are completed.
The landscape is restored and vegetation is
planted on the landfill cover. The duration of the
phase depends on the capacity of the landfill and
can typically vary between 5 and 50 years.
For economic reasons it is desirable to have at
least 15-25 years of capacity.
12/October/2010 Environmental Effects Of Landfilling 20
 Active phase
 The active phase is the period after deposition has been
completed but when the emissions are still significant
enough to require active efforts for environmental
protection.
 This is percolate and landfill gas collection, percolate
treatment and energy production from landfill gas.
 It is difficult to assess the length of this phase as it
depends upon the types of waste deposited at the
landfill as well as the construction and condition of the
landfill itself.
 The length of the phase may be determined based on the
actual emissions from the landfill and the capacity of
the surroundings to absorb the Environmental
12/October/2010 effects ofEffects
theOfemissions.
Landfilling 21
Cont..
 The emissions will depend upon the
characteristics of the landfill, the waste, the
size of the landfill, deposition technology and
the time.


 The capacity of the surroundings depends upon

where the landfill is located, the distance to
and the type of environments near the landfills
as well as the political regulations for land use
and environmental protection in the area.
 12/October/2010 Environmental Effects Of Landfilling 22
 Passive phase
 When the activities for environmental protection are no
longer operated actively, the landfill enters the passive
phase.
 During this phase a proper choice of landfill site, past
restrictions placed on the types of wastes deposited at
the landfill, deposition technology and passive
environmental protection will ensure that the emissions
to the environment are kept at an acceptable level.
 The passive environmental protection can for instance
consist of sloping surfaces with good vegetation that will
reduce the infiltration to the waste and oxidation zones
12/October/2010 Environmental Effects Of Landfilling 23
Cont..
 This phase will continue for as long as the
emissions from the landfill are larger than from
the surroundings.


 Because the emissions from the landfill are larger

than the surroundings during the passive phase
and the acceptance of these emissions is based
on assumptions and past knowledge and that
the passive phase covers many years into the
future it is very likely that the passive phase will
include monitoring of the landfill
12/October/2010 emissions.
Environmental Effects Of Landfilling 24
Conclusions
æ Methane produced at landfills can be collected via gas
extraction systems and used for energy production. This
will reduce global warming potential, as the CO2 produced
from combustion of methane is neutral with respect to
global warming.
æControlled collection and combustion of landfill gas will
reduce the emissions of toxic gases and Ozone depletion
to the environment.

@ Constructing noise barriers around the landfill area such as

earthen walls and dense plantations can reduce noise.

@ The fire and explosion hazard can be reduced by collection

of the landfill gas, by minimizing the amount of
biodegradable waste12/October/2010
deposited Environmental Effects Of Landfilling 25
and by installation of gas
Reference:-
 http://greenliving.lovetoknow.com/Environme
ntal_Problems:_Landfills
 http://www.landfill-
site.com/html/landfills__environmental_prob
l.php
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfC08-
ifNBc


12/October/2010 Environmental Effects Of Landfilling 26

Land Filling – Worst Choice
for the Environment.

THANK YOU

12/October/2010 Environmental Effects Of Landfilling 27