LANDFILL & ITS TYPES

Dr. Yumna Sadef

Landfill:
 Landfill: An engineered facility for the disposal
of MSW designed and operated to minimize
public health and environmental impacts.
 Landfills for individual waste constituents such
as combustion ash, asbestos, and other similar
wastes are known as monofills.
 Landfilling is the term used to describe the
process by which solid waste and solid waste
residuals are placed in a landfill.
Basic Terminologies
Landfill Cell:
 A cell is used to describe the volume of material
placed in a landfill during one operating
period, usually 1 day. A cell includes the solid
waste deposited and the daily cover material
surrounding it.
 Daily cover usually consists of 6 to 12 in of
native soil or alternative materials such as
compost, foundry sand, or auto shredder fluff
that are applied to the working faces of the
landfill at the end of each operating period.
Landfill Lift
 A lift is a complete layer of cells over the active
area of the landfill.
 Typically, landfills comprise a series of lifts:-
 A bench (or terrace) is typically used where the
height of the landfill will exceed 50 to 75 ft.
 Benches are used to maintain the slope stability
of the landfill, for the placement of surface
water drainage channels, and for the location
of landfill gas recovery piping.
 The final lift includes the landfill cover layer.
Landfill Liners & Covers
 Landfill liners are materials (both natural and
man-made) that are used to line the bottom
area and below-grade sides of a landfill.
 Liners usually consist of successive layers of
compacted clay and/or geosynthetic material
designed to prevent migration of landfill
leachate and landfill gas.
 The final landfill cover layer is applied over the
entire landfill surface after all landfilling
operations are complete.
 The liquid that forms at the bottom of a landfill is known as
leachate formed due to the percolation of precipitation,
uncontrolled runoff, and irrigation water into the landfill.
 Landfill gas is the term applied to the mixture of gases found
within a landfill. The bulk of landfill gas consists of methane
(CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2), the principal products of
the anaerobic biological decomposition of the
biodegradable organic fraction of the MSW in the landfill.
 Environmental monitoring involves the activities associated
with collection and analysis of water and air samples used to
monitor the movement of landfill gases and leachate at the
landfill site
 Post-closure care refers to the activities associated with the
long-term maintenance of the completed landfill (typically
30 to 50 years)
Methods Of Disposal
Depending upon the area of land
available and the methods of disposal
employed, landfill can be classified as:
❑ Trench Landfill
❑ Area Landfill
❑ Slope Landfill

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Generation of
landfill gases
 The principle gases
are methane and
carbon dioxide
 other trace gases are
nitrogen, hydrogen,
carbon monoxide,
sulphides, and
ammonia
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Phases of LFG Generation
 Phase I : Decomposition occurs in aerobic
conditions
 Phase II: Anaerobic conditions start developing
 Phase III: This is the acid phase. Microbial activity
accelerates forming organic acids and hydrogen
gas
 Phase IV: Anaerobes convert the acetic acid and
hydrogen gas to CH4 and CO2
 Phase V: This is maturation phase. The
biodegradation process gets completed.
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Types of Landfills
 Municipal Solid Waste
Landfill.
 Construction And
Demolition Landfill.
 Industrial Landfill.
 Cleanfills.
 Bioreactor Landfill.
 Coal Combustion and
Residual Landfill.
 Hazardous Waste
Landfill.
 Sanitary Landfill.
Municipal Solid Waste
Landfill

 MSW (municipal solid waste)

includes waste from
residential, commercial, and
institutional sources.
 A municipal solid waste landfill
(MSWLF) is an isolated area of
land/excavation which
receives this waste.
 Municipal Solid Waste
Landfill
 Apart from the waste from
residential, commercial, and
institutional sources, MSWLF can
also receive other types of
nonhazardous wastes
 MSWL is typically located at a
safe distance away from
neighborhoods and commercial
districts.
 These are well equipped with
liners and leech collection
systems which prevent the
neighboring groundwater from
becoming polluted
Banned Materials

 Some materials may

be banned from
disposal in MSWLFs,
including common
household items like
paints,
cleaners/chemicals,
motor oil, batteries
and pesticides.
 These products, if
mishandled, can be
dangerous to your
health and the
environment.
What is an industrial
waste landfill?

 An industrial waste
landfill is specifically
designated for the
disposal of industrial
wastes which do not
sent to municipal solid
waste landfills.
 It consists of non-
hazardous waste
associated with
manufacturing and
other industrial activities.
Types of industrial
waste
It includes dirt and gravel,
masonry and
 Concrete scrap metal, oil,
solvents, chemicals,
 Scrap lumber, even
vegetable matter from
Restaurants.
 In most cases industrial
waste landfills are monofills
associated with a specific
industry or facility.
Banned Material In
Industrial Waste Landfill
 It is important to note that
hazardous waste products,
such as asbestos, cannot be
processed at a standard
industrial waste landfill
facility.
  C&D landfills are used for the waste
debris generated during construction,
Construction demolitions, renovations of bridges
& Demolition and buildings.
Landfills  This landfill doesn’t receive hazardous
waste or industrial solid waste until it
meets certain standards and is
permitted to receive such waste.
 Construction &
Demolition Landfills
 The different types of
C&D materials can
include concrete,
wood, gypsum,
metals, asphalt, glass,
plastics, bricks,
salvaged building
components (doors,
windows, and
plumbing fixtures), or
trees, stumps, earth
and rock from
clearing sites.
Construction &
Demolition Landfills
 Building materials containing
lead and asbestos are also
regulated by EPA.
 Cleanfills

 Landfills where cleanfills

material is disposed to land.
 Cleanfills have materials that
when buried will have no
adverse effect on people or
the environment.
 Cleanfill Materials :
 It includes natural materials such as
clay, soil and rock, and other inert
materials such as concrete or brick that
Cleanfills are free of following:
i) combustible, putrescible, degradable
or leachable components
ii)hazardous substances
iii)materials that may present a risk to
human or animal health such as medical
and veterinary waste, asbestos or
radioactive substances.
Sanitary Landfilling
 A sanitary landfill is a waste disposal
location where layers of
compressed garbage is covered
with layers of earth.
 Waste is spread in a thin layer,
compacted to smallest practical
volume and covered with soil or
anyother suitable material.
 When the disposal site reaches its
ultimate capacity, after completion
of all disposal operations a finals
layer of 0.6 meter thick or more
cover is applied.
 Noncombustible materials/ wastes
from the existing dumping site will be
disposed off in the sanitary landfill.
Basic requirements
➢ Full or partial hydrogeological isolation
➢ Water table level
➢ Formal engineering preparations
➢ Permanent control
➢ Planned waste emplacement and covering
➢ The landfill site shall be away from habitation clusters,
forest areas, and water bodies monuments
➢ The landfill sites shall be selected to make use of
nearby wastes processing facility
➢ A buffer zone of no-development
➢ monitoring wells need to be dug
Advantages Disadvantages
All types of solid waste

Emission of toxic gases

Monitored process

Less hazarduous to environment

Water contamination

Economical method

Much work and maintenance required

Leachate and collection system
 Landfills in Europe
 Landfilling is considered an effective and economical waste
management system in world.
 European countries use landfilling as a purpose of energy.
 Landfills are the second-largest industrial source of methane
emissions in the US
 Landfill gas is approximately 50 percent methane.
 Many countries are using landfill gases for heat and electricity
generation purposes.
 Countries
including Germany, Austria, Sweden,[20] Denmark, Belgium,
the Netherlands, and Switzerland, have banned the disposal of
untreated waste in landfills. In these countries, only certain
hazardous wastes, fly ashes from incineration or the stabilized
output of mechanical biological treatment plants may still be
deposited.
Waste
management in
Europe

Perth, Western
Australia

South East New Territories

Landfill, Hong Kong Waimanalo Gulch,
Honolulu
 World’s Largest Landfills
Tons Per
"Green"
Name Location Type #Acres Tons Per Day Year
Involvement
(Millions)

Netzahualco
Bordon
yotl, Mexico Municipal Methane to
Ponente 927 12,000 4.4
(Mexico solid waste energy
Landfill
City)

Apex
Las Vegas, Municipal Methane to
Regional 2200 10,500 3.8
Nevada solid waste energy
Landfill

Sudokwon Incheon, Municipal 18,000- Methane to

570 6.9
Landfill South Korea solid waste 20,000 energy

Puente Hills Los Angeles, Municipal Methane to

630 10,300 3.6
Landfill California solid waste energy
Pakistan
 Pakistan generates about 48.5 million tons of solid waste a year,
which has been increasing more than 2 percent annually. Like
other developing countries, Pakistan lacks waste management
infrastructure, creating serious environmental problems
 Local and municipal governments are responsible for collecting
waste throughout most of Pakistan’s major cities. About 60-70
percent of solid waste in the cities is collected
 Karachi, Pakistan’s largest city, utilizes three sanitary landfill sites
while Lahore, the country’s second-largest city, has three.
 In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the Water and Sanitation Services
Peshawar (WSSP) is planning to build a sanitary landfill.
 Balochistan, with a population of 6.9 million, has no significant
infrastructure for waste management system.
 Karachi
landfills

Jam Chakhro

Dhabeji landfill Deh Gondal pass

 Lahore
landfills

Mehmood Booti

lakhodair
Saggian
Conclusion
Landfilling stands as the only as the
waste disposal method that can
deal with all solid waste in waste
stream. Other options such as
biological or thermal treatment
themselves produce residues. Thus,
landfilling is considered most
economical and environmentally
accepted method waste
management.
References:
 G. Tchobanoglous, H.Theisen, and S. A.Vigil, Integrated Solid
Waste Management, Engineering Principles and Management
Issues, McGraw-Hill, New York, 1993, and P. O’Leary and
P.Walsh, Solid Waste Landfills Correspondence Course,
University of Wisconsin–Madison, 1992.
 Akesson, M., and P. Nilsson (1998) “Material Dependence of
Methane Production Rates in Landfills,” Waste Management
and Research, vol. 16, no. 2.
 Amling,W. (1981) “Exclusion of Gulls from Reservoirs in Orange
County, California,” Progressive Fish Culturist, vol. 43, no. 3.
 Bagchi,A. (1990) Design, Construction, and Monitoring of
Sanitary Landfill, John Wiley & Sons, New York