AREA A/B ENGINEERING REPORT - Waste Management

1. OVERVIEW OF A MANAGED SOLID WASTE LANDFILL
Geosyntec Consultants
The last few decades have seen tremendous advances in land disposal technology and
regulation. These advances have resulted in the modern managed landfill, which include:
Scientifically Engineered Containment
Active Environmental Monitoring
Highly Regulated Operations
Preventative and Response Maintenance
Enhanced Waste Treatment
These elements, in combination, provide
effective and overlapping protection of
human health and the environment.
Further, the evolution of the modern
managed landfill to a valuable community
asset includes renewable energy, wildlife
habitat, and “green space” solutions.
Beneficial uses of closed landfill sites include children’s playgrounds such as this soccer field
(Photo courtesy of NSWMA)
This report assesses the modern managed landfill and its ability to protect human health and the
environment. The report is organized as follows:
• Section 1 describes the integrated elements and core attributes of the modern managed
landfill (see Figure 1-1), explains the format for the report, and introduces the body of
knowledge from research on landfill and waste processes;
• Section 2 presents the overarching framework for Regulatory Oversight and the broad
foundation of Design and Planning that governs the life cycle of modern, managed
municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills;
MD10186.doc 15 29 March 2009