Hazardous Waste Management Practice Test: Landfill Disposal — Flashcards

Landfill Disposal topics include: Landfill disposal guidelines, design and construction, closure and post-closure.

Landfills are man-made pits where solid waste is stacked, compacted, and covered. They are the oldest and most common form of waste disposal. 

Landfills are typically found in low-lying areas away from residential areas.  They can have many benefits, including:
Energy source: When waste decomposes, landfills generate carbon dioxide and methane, which can be extracted, purified, and used to generate energy.
Reduce contamination: Solid waste, such as paper, glass, and metal, is buried between layers of dirt and other materials to reduce contamination of the surrounding land. 
Landfills can also be hazardous waste landfills (HW landfills), which are designed to minimize impact on the environment. HW landfills exclusively handle waste that has environmentally-hazardous properties, such as asbestos, old electronics, paint, wood sealers, and solvents. 

Here are some common methods of landfilling:
Trench method: This method works best on flat soil where excavation is simple, and the groundwater table is appropriately low.
Landfill disposal: In this method, trucks collect waste and dump it into huge pits. Once the pits are full, they are covered with soil and left for decomposition.