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Solid Waste Landfills
Modern
landfills are well-engineered facilities that are located, designed, operated,
and monitored to ensure compliance with federal regulations. Solid waste
landfills must be designed to protect the environment from contaminants
which may be present in the solid waste stream. The landfill siting plan—which
prevents the siting of landfills in environmentally-sensitive areas—as
well as on-site environmental monitoring systems—which monitor for
any sign of groundwater contamination and for landfill gas—provide
additional safeguards. In addition, many new landfills collect potentially
harmful landfill gas emissions and convert the gas into energy. For more
information, visit EPA's Landfill
Methane Outreach Program.
There are several types of solid waste landfills:
Municipal Solid Waste Landfills
Municipal solid waste landfills (MFWLFs) receive household waste. MSWLFs can also receive non-hazardous sludge, industrial solid waste, and construction and demolition debris. All MSWLFs must comply with the federal regulations in 40 CFR Part 258 (Subtitle D of RCRA), or equivalent state regulations. Federal MSWLF standards include:
- Location restrictions—ensure that landfills are built in suitable geological areas away from faults, wetlands, flood plains, or other restricted areas.
- Composite liners requirements—include a flexible membrane (geomembrane) overlaying two feet of compacted clay soil lining the bottom and sides of the landfill, protect groundwater and the underlying soil from leachate releases.
- Leachate collection and removal systems—sit on top of the composite liner and removes leachate from the landfill for treatment and disposal.
- Operating practices—include compacting and covering waste frequently with several inches of soil help reduce odor; control litter, insects, and rodents; and protect public health.
- Groundwater monitoring requirements—requires testing groundwater wells to determine whether waste materials have escaped from the landfill.
- Closure and postclosure care requirements—include covering landfills and providing long-term care of closed landfills.
- Corrective action provisions—control and clean up landfill releases and achieves groundwater protection standards.
- Financial assurance—provides funding for environmental protection during and after landfill closure (i.e., closure and postclosure care).
Some materials may be banned from disposal in municipal solid waste landfills including common household items such as paints, cleaners/chemicals, motor oil, batteries, and pesticides. Leftover portions of these products are called household hazardous waste. These products, if mishandled, can be dangerous to your health and the environment. Many municipal landfills have a household hazardous waste drop-off station for these materials.
MSWLFs can also receive household appliances (also known as white goods) that are no longer needed. Many of these appliances, such as refrigerators or window air conditioners, rely on ozone-depleting refrigerants and their substitutes. MSWLFs have to follow federal disposal procedures for household appliances that use refrigerants (PDF) (4 pp, 384K) . EPA has general information on how refrigerants can damage the ozone layer and consumer information on the specifics of disposing of these appliances.
More information on municipal solid waste landfills:
- Solid Waste Incineration/Combustion
- Municipal Solid Waste Collection Efficiency
- Municipal Solid Waste Landfill Regulations and ICRs
- Solid Waste Landfill Publications
- Financial Assurance for Municipal Solid Waste Landfills
- Groundwater Monitoring Requirements for Municipal Solid Waste Landfills
- Closure and Post-Closure Care Requirements for Municipal Solid Waste Landfills
- Flow Control and Municipal Solid Waste
Bioreactors are municipal solid waste landfills that are designed to quickly transform and degrade organic waste. The increase in waste degradation and stabilization is accomplished through the addition of liquid and, in some cases, air to enhance microbial processes. Bioreactors are a new approach to landfill design and operation that differ from the traditional "dry tomb" municipal landfill approach.
Construction and Demolition (C&D) Debris Landfills
These landfills accept only C&D debris such as concrete, asphalt, brick, wood, drywall, asphalt roofing shingles, metals, and some types of plastics generated during the construction and demolition of homes, commercial buildings, and other structures. C&D landfills are subject to less stringent standards than municipal solid waste landfills due to the relatively inert nature of C&D debris materials.
These landfills are designed for the management of non-hazardous industrial
process wastes. Industrial waste consists of a wide variety of non-hazardous
materials that result from the production of various goods and products.
Industrial waste landfills are subject to the federal requirements in
40 CFR Part 257, Subparts A and B, as well as any state-specific regulations.
