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This colossal population lives, works and generates thrash. Lots of thrash in the
colonial age, with when the mega-city comprised of just seven islands and a
miniscule population, the government simply transported all the garbage to the
Deonar landfill, where it would be unceremoniously dumped in an area earmarked
for garbage disposal. Over the years, Mumbai's population exploded. From a tiny
fishing village it metamorphosed into the gargantuan mega-city it is today. The
cotton mills grew into mega-corporations. The city and its populations steam rolled
on the path of progress. Yet the garbage disposal system, never evolved.
For decades, the city authorities continued to pile unprocessed garbage into the
Deonar landfill, expanding it in area as the demands of the city rose.
Trucks carry urban waste in huge amount.
All the issues generally associated with landfill regions plague Deonar. A
large number of adverse impacts may occur from landfill operations. These impacts
can vary: fatal accidents (e.g., scavengers buried under waste piles); infrastructure
damage (e.g., damage to access roads by heavy vehicles); pollution of the local
environment (such as contamination of groundwater and/or aquifers by leakage
and residual soil contamination during landfill usage, as well as after landfill
closure); offgassing of methane generated by decaying organic
wastes (methane is a greenhouse gas many times more potent than carbon dioxide,
and can itself be a danger to inhabitants of an area); harbouring of disease vectors
such as rats and flies, particularly from improperly operated landfills, which are
common in Third-world countries; injuries to wildlife; and simple nuisance
problems (e.g., dust, odour, vermin, or noise pollution). Environmental noise and
dust are generated from vehicles accessing a landfill as well as from working face
operations. These impacts are best to intercept at the planning stage
where access routes and landfill geometrics can be used to mitigate such issues.
Vector control is also important, but can be managed reasonably well with the daily
cover protocols. Most modern landfills in industrialized countries are operated with
controls to attempt manage problems such as these. How ever due to government
apathy, neglect, lack of funds and a governmental aversion to improvement
projects, the landfill at Donar remains largely anarchic.It continues to be a source
for many vector and water borne diseases. The toxins from the waste matter have
seeped into the water table and local soil.
The air around the landfill is laden with landfill off-gasses and has a putrid stench
to it. The area has been rendered unfit for human habitation. Landfill Gas
production results from chemical reactions and microbes acting upon the waste as
the putrescible materials begins to break down in the landfill.
Due to the constant production of landfill gas, the increase in pressure within the
landfill (together with differential diffusion) causes the gas's release into the
atmosphere. Such emissions lead to important environmental, hygiene and security
problems in the landfill. Due to the risk presented by landfill gas there is a clear
need to monitor gas produced by landfills. In addition to the risk of fire and
explosion, landfill gas migration in the subsurface can result in contact of landfill
gas with groundwater.
The major components are CO2 and methane, both of which are greenhouse gas.
These gasses degrade the air quality and increase the greenhouse gasses in the
area. Their putrid smell makes human habitation in the area difficult and
unhygienic.
Landscape polluted due to waste.
Solutions and Control Measures:
The alternatives to landfills are waste reduction and recycling strategies.
Secondary to not creating waste, there are various alternatives to landfills. The
BMC has also agreed to set up a Material Recovery Facility (MRF) to scientific
segregate and recover recyclable waste. Only bio-degradable waste will be pushed
into the landfill.
Through this technology, which is being used for the first time in Mumbai, the civic
body hopes to quicken the process of degradation of the waste dumped at the
landfill site.
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