ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF SOLID-WASTE LANDFILLING

Inevitable consequences of the practice of solid waste disposal in lan dfills are gas and leachate generation due primarily to microbial deco mposition, climatic conditions, refuse characteristics and landfilling operations. The migration of gas and leachate away from the landfill boundaries and their release into the surrounding environment present serious environmental concerns at both existing and new facilities. Be sides potential health hazards, these concerns include, and are not li mited to, fires and explosions, vegetation damage, unpleasant odors, l andfill settlement, ground water pollution, air pollution and global w arming. This paper presents an overview of gas and leachate formation mechanisms in landfills and their adverse environmental impacts, and d escribes control methods to eliminate or minimize these impacts. (C) 1 997 Academic Press Limited.