Assessment of Subsurface Contamination Potential of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) Dumps

Abstract

Leachate from MSW dumps having no liners and covers, results in contamination of the subsurface environment. This paper presents a newly developed simplified system to assess the relative potential of subsurface contamination of such MSW dumps. Twenty-one dumps of Indian cities having population greater than one million each have been evaluated. Three rating systems are used for the assessment—two existing systems (DRASTIC and mGW-HARAS) and one newly proposed system (SIMRAS). The study demonstrates that the new simplified system performs better than DRASTIC in terms of sensitivity and range of rating scores. It is also easier to apply in comparison to mGW-HARAS. The study further highlights that thirteen MSW dumps are having high or significant impact potential and these need immediate attention for remediation/closure; and eight dumps are having nominal impact potential and these can be taken up for action at a later stage.