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LANDFILL CONTINUING EDUCATION COURSE
This is the fourth lesson in the independent learning correspondence course on municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills. One lesson in this 12-part series will be published in Waste Age magazine each month throughout the year. Persons enrolled in the course need to take the first exam after completing this lesson.
If you are interested in taking the course for two continuing education credits (CEUs), send a check (payable to the University of Wisconsin) for $149 to Phil O'Leary, Department of Engineering Professional Development, University of Wisconsin, 432 N. Lake Street, Madison, WI 53706. Phone (608) 262-0493. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: www.wasteage.com.
Course registration can occur at anytime until December 2006. Previous lessons will be sent to you.
SUCCESSFUL LANDFILL DESIGNS should control water movement to protect the environment, directing it away from the disposal area and containing it if it enters the landfill.
How Water Enters a Landfill
Drainage patterns around and within landfills must be carefully evaluated to effectively control water movement. Landfills located in areas where water might enter from surrounding surface drainage patterns must be carefully evaluated. When a landfill is constructed in a flat, open area, the entrance of surface drainage into the landfill is minimized. However, landfills often are located on sloping or valley topographies that cause water to flow downhill and, if not carefully managed, into the landfill.
Water that falls directly onto the landfill's surface while the landfill is open and after closure also must be managed. This water either will pass through the top of the landfill and into the waste, run off of the landfill, or evaporate. Controlling these natural processes is critical to achieving environmentally sound and operationally effective landfills. Consequently, the characteristics of the cover that is placed over the waste during operational phases and after closure will determine how much water enters the landfill.
Consequences of Uncontrolled Water Movement
Water that enters the landfill will move downward through the waste through the path of least resistance, becoming highly contaminated. A portion of the water may move downward until it encounters an impermeable layer, at which time it moves horizontally (laterally) and exits through the landfill's sideslope. The contaminated water will be discharged into the surface water system and...