Municipal Solid Waste Manageme

nt
 Landfill Diagram
Solid Waste
 Liner

Compacted Clay Liner HDPE Liner

Liner

Purposes
• To prevent leachate from seeping into gro
undwater
• To prevent landfill gas from migrating out o
f the landfill below grade
Liner
Purposes
• To prevent leachate from seeping into ground
water
• To prevent landfill gas from migrating out of t
he landfill below grade

Typical Materials
• 3-foot layer of compacted soil, underlying
• 60-mil high density polyethylene (HDPE)
 Leachate Drainage Blanket and Colle
ction System

Leachate
Drainage Blanket Collection Pipes
Leachate Drainage Blanket and Colle
ction System

Purposes
• To enhance the effectiveness of the liner by
minimizing leachate head
• To protect the liner from puncture
Leachate Drainage Blanket and Colle
ction System
Purposes
• To enhance the effectiveness of the liner by
minimizing leachate head
• To protect the liner from puncture

Typical Materials
• Blanket: 1 foot of sand or gravel, underlying
• Collection System: HDPE or PVC piping
Final Cover System

FML Liner
Low Permeabilit Protective Layer
y Layer
Vegetation
Final Cover System

Composed of:
• Low Permeability Layer
• Protective Layer
Low Permeability Layer of Final C
over System

Purposes
• To minimize leachate production by sheddi
ng
precipitation rather than allowing it to
percolate through waste
Low Permeability Layer of Final C
over System
Purposes
• To minimize leachate production by sheddin
g
precipitation rather than allowing it to
percolate through waste
• To prevent leachate popouts
Low Permeability Layer of Final C
over System
Purposes
• To minimize leachate production by shedding
precipitation rather than allowing it to
percolate through waste
• To prevent leachate popouts
• To provide a barrier (along with the protective
layer) between the waste and receptors
Low Permeability Layer of Final C
over System
Purposes
• To minimize leachate production by shedding
precipitation rather than allowing it to
percolate through waste
• To prevent leachate popouts
• To provide a barrier (along with the protective
layer) between the waste and receptors
• To prevent uncontrolled emission of landfill
gas into atmosphere through top of landfill
Low Permeability Layer of Final Cover
System

Typical Materials
• Compacted soil and
• 30 or 40-mil polyethylene or PVC flexible m
embrane liner (FML)
Protective Layer of Final Cover System

Purposes
• To protect the low permeability layer from fre
eze/thaw, desiccation cracking, root penetrati
on and puncture
• To provide a durable, low maintenance surfa
ce
Protective Layer of Final Cover Syste
m

Typical Materials
• Uncompacted soil with
• Grass on surface
Gas Monitoring System

Purposes
• To characterize gas production within the la
ndfill
• To detect any methane moving out of the la
ndfill either below grade or through the final
cover system
Groundwater Monitoring System

Groundwater
Monitoring Well
Groundwater Monitoring System

Purpose
• To detect any groundwater contamination c
aused by the landfill
Surface Water Control System

Purposes
• To enhance the effectiveness of the final cov
er system in shedding precipitation, and
• To prevent surface water contamination
Landfill Operation

• Dry Entombment
Attempt to prevent introduction of water or air
to the landfill – Minimal degradation.
Landfill Operation

• Dry Entombment
Attempt to prevent introduction of water or air
to the landfill – Minimal degradation.

• Bioreactor
Any liquid (other than leachate) is added in a
controlled fashion into the waste to accelerate
or enhance the anaerobic (without oxygen) bi
odegradation of the waste.
Gas Production Graph