Environmental effects of landfills

Abstract

In the past, landfilling involved burying municipal refuse directly or after on-site burning. Typically, little attention was given to proper siting and engineering to obviate the hazards of the generation of CH 4 and toxic leachates as wastes decomposed. Leachates were hopefully attenuated by natural processes (adsorption, precipitation, ion exchange, microbial decomposition or dilution in the unsaturated zone below landfills). Landfills slowly evolved by proper siting, design and management into efficiently operated bioreactors to produce purified CH 4 for use as a fuel, and leachates, which were treated biologically and chemically to minimize groundwater pollution. Microbial reactions in landfills are outlined. The amounts and composition of landfill gas and leachate as determined by the interaction of factors such as refuse composition, degree of compaction, temperature, moisture content, refuse age and depth are discussed. Typical inorganic and organic composition of landfill gases and leachates are presented. The potential and real environmental effects on soils, plants, groundwater, aquatic organisms and humans of disposal of municipal refuse by landfilling are reviewed. Finally, the most recent trend in constructing refuse landfills to serve as final storage reservoirs which are deliberately kept dry to minimize gas and leachate production is discussed and illustrated. Present activities in waste recycling to conserve landfill space are outlined.