AREA A/B ENGINEERING REPORT - Waste Management

Geosyntec Consultants
reader where to find information on a specific topic. As illustrated below, the most commonly
used symbols relate to the key elements of modern managed landfills – containment, treatment
(biodegradation), operation, maintenance, and monitoring.
KEY ELEMENTS OF MODERN MANAGED LANDFILLS
Containment Treatment (Biodegradation) Operation Maintenance Monitoring
Introduction
The modern, managed municipal solid waste (MSW) landfill consists of a combination of
regulatory, design, operational, maintenance, and monitoring features. The permitting, design,
construction, and regulation of MSW landfills are intended to protect human health and the
environment both during their active operating phase and after they stop receiving waste and
are closed. MSW landfills are engineered to provide overlapping measures for environmental,
health, and safety protection. These measures include monitors and back-up systems that help
protect the integrity of landfills in the event of emergencies or natural disasters.
In preparing the report, Geosyntec Consultants conducted a comprehensive study to summarize
the state-of-the-practice of the modern managed landfill. Primary findings include:
• Landfill Design and Operation is Highly Regulated � Location and site characterization
requirements combined with professional design standards and prescriptive best
management operating standards for waste acceptance and operations serve to uphold
the physical integrity of MSW landfills.
• Containment Systems are Scientifically Engineered � Scientific research and testing
shows that engineered and natural liners and cover systems can likely provide effective
containment in excess of 1,000 years.
• Landfills are Actively Maintained � Active management through the operating, closure,
and post-closure stages helps to prevent system breakdowns, enabling engineered
containment systems to operate as designed.
• Generation of Waste Byproducts Decreases Over Time � Predictable and decreasing
trends in the generation and concentration of non-hazardous waste liquids generated in
the landfill (termed “leachate”) and biologically generated landfill gas mean that, over
MD10186.doc 5 29 March 2009