For Envi

Sanitary Landfills

Description- Sanitary landfills are sites where waste is isolated

from the environment until it is safe. It is considered when it has completely degraded biologically, chemically and physically. In high-income countries, the level of isolation achieved may be high. However, such an expensive high level of isolation may not be technically necessary to protect public health. Four basic conditions should be met before a site can be regarded as a sanitary landfill (see following.)

The ways of doing this should be adapted to local conditions. The immediate goal is to meet, to the best extent possible, the four stated basic sanitary landfill conditions, with a longer term goal to meet them eventually in full.

Function-to compact and compress solid waste materials and then

cover them with soil.This is to avoid the odor and windblown debris of the solid waste materials and also to let it decompose.

Design of Sanitary Landfills

1. Basic Information will be needed before designing a sanitary landfill.This includes determining the population,defnition of the solid waste quantity that will be disposed of,area required,the solid waste volume,waste composition,per capita production of wastes,total producton of wastes,and density of wastes. 2. Calculation of the volume of solid wastes then follows.In this step,solid waste volume is calculated ad also the landfill volume. 3. Calculation of the Area required. The area required for the construction of a manual
sanitary landfill depends mainly on factors such as: Quantity of solid wastes to be disposed of Quantity of cover material Density of compacted solid wastes Depth or height of the landfill Volumetric capacity of the land Additional areas for complementary works.

4. Selection of the construction method. (Trench or ditch method, Area Method)

5. Calculation of the cell. Cells are formed by solid wastes and cover material and the size should
economize land and provide sufficient working face for unloading and maneuvers of collection vehicles. The dimension and volume of the daily cell depend on factors such as: Daily quantity of solid wastes to be disposed of. Compaction degree. Height of the most appropriate cell for manual work. Working face required for waste unloading

6. Labor Calculation then follows. 7. And last is the Cost Analysis.

Location of Sanitary Landfills- The location of the site plays an important role
in the system operation. The distance and even more the time it takes to reach the urban center affect the cost of solid waste transportation. It is recommended, thus, that the landfill be nearby (i.e. not more than 30 minutes for a round trip). This will reduce transportation costs and will allow the community to supervise that the landfill is being operated and maintained in the best possible way.

It should be noted that there are no fixed rules. It will mostly depend on land availability, topography,
useful lifespan of the landfill, and number of nearby facilities. It is recommended to establish the landfill boundaries at 200 meters away from the nearest households.

Access roads. The land should have access to a main road so that solid wastes can be transported
easily. Internal roads in the landfill should allow collection vehicles safe and rapid access to the working face all the year under different weather conditions

Hydrogeological conditions. If the are water springs it would be necessary to drain them by lowering
its level; it is also necessary to evaluate the water table depth and maintain at least 1 to 2 m between groundwater and solid wastes. The permeability and absorption capacity of the soil must also be evaluated.

Useful lifespan. The site capacity should be large enough for its long-term use (more than five years)
and consistent with the management, preparation costs, and infrastructure. Obviously, it all depends on land availability.

Cover material. The land should have abundant cover material, be easy to extract, and if possible,
have a good proportion of clay due to its low permeability and high capacity to absorb contaminants. When it is not available at the site, transportation cost should be considered to obtain it from a nearby site. If it were not possible, it is better to reject the site before beginning any work since this may become an open dump. Conservation of natural resources. A sanitary landfill should not be located near a water source. Ideally, it should be located in an isolated area of low commercial value where it will not contaminate surface or ground waters. In other words, it should protect both natural resources, and animal and plant life. Climate conditions. Wind direction is important because it may cause nuisances do to blow dust and paper and the spread of bad odors to nearby areas. Therefore, the sanitary landfill should be located in such a way that wind blows from the urban area towards it (figure 3.6). If this is not possible, planting trees and thick vegetation along the entire landfill is another measure to counteract this problem. Costs. Before making calculations and designs for a sanitary landfill, it is necessary to know the cost of the land and if it is available. An estimate should be made of the investment required for its preparation and infrastructure. Costs are sometimes so high that the municipality can not afford it, hence, other sites should be considered. Land ownership. A sanitary landfill project should began only when the entity responsible for the landfill (usually the municipality) has a legal document (municipal agreement) acknowledging ownership of the land and authorizing its construction. The document should also specify future use, since the site may be later used as a recreational or reforestation area. Master plan. When evaluating the landfill site, it is important to consult with the local urban planning office about the master plan to delimit the urban perimeter and define the present and future land uses. It is recommended to orient the urbanization growth toward the site but not immediately, since once the sanitary landfill useful life is over the land can be used to benefit the community.

Future use. Every sanitary landfill project should consider its future integration into the natural environment. Once its useful lifespan is over, a manual sanitary landfill can be transformed into a park, sports area, garden, nursery, or small forest.