1. Site Selection
& Environmental Aspects of
Hazardous Waste Disposal Site
Arjesh Sharma
Senior Manager
Pollution Control Research Institute
BHEL, Haridwar
arjesh@bhelhwr.co.in

2. What is Waste ?
 By : Chem. Manuf. Asso., USA
 Any gas, liquid or solid residual material at a factory,
whether hazardous or non hazardous,
that is not used further in the production of a
commercial product or provision of a service and
which itself is not a commercial product.
 Other Def. :
 Waste is a resource at a wrong place.

3. Hazardous Waste
Any waste
which by reason of any of its Physical, Chemical,
Reactive, Toxic, Flammable, Explosive or Corrosive
characteristics
causes danger or is likely to cause danger to health
or environment,
whether alone or when in contact with other waste or
substances.

4. Basel Convention/ Declaration
 The Basel Convention (Article 4) requires each party to
minimise waste generation and to ensure, to the extent
possible, the availability of disposal facilities within its
own territory.
 With the objective of environmentally sound management
(ESM) of hazardous wastes, the Convention aimed at
protecting human health and the environment by
minimizing hazardous waste production to the extent
possible.

5. Basel Convention/ Declaration
 1989 Adoption - After a public outcry against the indiscriminate
dumping of hazardous wastes in developing countries by developed-world
industries, a diplomatic conference held in Basel, Switzerland,
adopted the Convention.
 1992 Basel Convention enters into force.
 1995 Ban Amendment - The Amendment calls for prohibiting exports
of hazardous wastes (for any purpose)
 1999 Ministerial Declaration - The Basel Declaration -special
emphasis on minimizing hazardous waste.
 1998 Classification and Characterizations of Wastes

6. Gaps & Recommendations
 Survey and Inventorisation of hazardous wastes
 Setting up of Hazardous wastes and treatment facility
 Identification of sites for disposal
 Insufficient information on the quantity and risks
associated
 Inadequate monitoring and enforcement of regulations
 Lack of awareness of the risk to health, safety and
environment
 Lack of proper infrastructure for safe containment/disposal.

7. Waste Management
Method Advantages Disadvantages
Open
Dumping
- Inexpensive - Health Hazard, Insects, Rodents
- Air Pollution
- Water Pollution
- Aesthetics Problem
Secure
Land fill
 Large volume can be disposed
 Cost effective
 Filled land can be reused
 Settlement require maintenance.
 Requires proper planning, design &
operation
Incineration  Volume reduction
 Minimum land requirement
 Safer than land fill
 Detoxification of waste
 Converts waste to solid
 Heat can be recovered
Can cause air pollution
Proper operation/management
/maintenance
Can’t destroy non organic and metallic
toxicity

8. Waste Management
Method Advantages Disadvantages
Composting
( Vermi
composting)/
Land
application
- Easy
- Get manure
- Needs segregation
- Can be done only non hazardous organic
wastes
- Hazardous waste may creep in not properly
segregated, Water pollution, Hazards
Deep well
injection
 No land required
 No treatment
required
 May polluted ground water
 May cause underground explosions etc .
 Unpredictable
Reuse  Waste reduction
 Resource
conservation
 Saving
 Lesser cost of
treatment & disposal
Time taking
May need investment
Unavailability of appropriate tech.
May be costlier than products made by using
virgin raw material

9. Human
Pathways of Exposure to Health Hazards
Gaseous emissions
Leachate
Ground water
Food chain
& drinking
water
Infection
Surface water
Runoff
Organics, Heavy
metal, Toxicity
Plants
Contamination
of Soil & Water
Open dump
Animals
Food chain
Air pollution
Bacteria, Pests

10. Impacts Associated with
Disposal Sites
Environmental Impacts Health Impacts Aesthetic
Impacts
Chemical Entities Biological
Entities
Social Impacts
Air
Environment
Water
Environment
Land
Environment
• Gaseous
emissions
• SPM
• Fire
• Intermediate
decomposition
products
• Toxic
constituents
• Animals
• Birds
• Pathogens
• Activities of
adjoining
population
• Odour
• Litter
• Vision
• Changes in
Soil Properties
• Land
Contamination
• Surface &
Ground
Water
Pollution

11. Basic Approach
In Hazardous Waste Management
 Identification of Hazardous waste generation.
 Inventorization of hazardous waste
 Waste characteristics
 Quantification of hazardous waste
 Identification of sites for disposal- Their ranking
 Conducting EIA
 Implementing/ Operation of disposal sites

12. Mapping of constraint
Identification of potential sites
Preliminary survey
(walk over survey)
Site investigation on
preferred sites
Ranking of sites
Site Selectio n Criteria
Final decision
Depending on
• Transport
• Natural conditions
• Land use pattern
• Safety
Depending on
• Target land area required
• Land ownership
• Current use
Preliminary assessment of
physical and environmental
conditions of the site and
surrounding area
• Geology
• Hydrogeology
• Climatological
• Land
• Social etc.
Attribute ranking
Selection of
potential
sites
Short-listing
of potential
sites
Short-listing of
potential sites
Step 1
Step 2
Step 3
Step 4
Step 5
Step 6
Investigation includes
detail survey of

13. Site Selection
 Haz. Waste landfill preferably be located in areas of
 Low Population density
 Low alternative land use value
 Low ground water contamination potential &
 Sites having high clay content in the subsoil

14. Site Selection
 Guidelines
■ Earmarking a “search area” taking into account of
the waste generation units – Typically 5 to 250
KMs
■ Identification of a list potential sites on the basis
of
1. Availability of land
2. Collection of preliminary data
3. Restrictions listed in the locational criteria

15. Site Selection
 Collection of preliminary data
 Topographic maps
 Soil maps
 Land use plans
 Transportation maps
 Water use plans
 Flood plain maps
 Geologic maps
 Aerial photographs / Satellite imagery
 Ground water maps
 Rainfall data
 Wind map
 Seismic data
 Site visit
 Preliminary Boreholes & Geophysical investigation
 Selection of two/three best ranked sites

16. Site Selection
 Environmental Impact Assessment for the two/three
sites for the following parameters.
 Ground water quality
 Surface water quality
 Air quality – gases, dust , litter, odour
 Land use alteration
 Drainage alteration
 Soil erosion
 Ecological impacts
 Noise
 Aesthetics – visual, vermin, flies
 Traffic alteration

17. Site Selection
 Assessment of public perception for the sites
 Selection of Final Site
 The above procedure does not apply for location of
facility within industrial areas of State industrial
development agencies. However EIA requirement
will apply

18. Site Selection Attributes Considered
Accessibility Receptor Environmental
Waste Mgmt
Practice Geological
Road type Population Critical Env.
Waste
Quantity
Soil
Permeability
Collection
Distance
Drinking
Water
Distance
Surface Water
Distance Life of Site
Erosion &
Runoff
Soc Economic
Residents
Use of Site
Groundwater
Depth Climatological
Rock
Characteristics
Health Landuse Contamination Precipitation Soil Depth
Job
Property
Opportunities
Value Water Quality
Air Pollution
Contribution Slope Pattern
Odour Public Utility Air Quality Seismicity
Vision
Public
acceptability Soil Quality

19. Reasons for Variation of Contaminants
 Solid Waste Characterisation
 Site Hydrology
 Season
 Climate
 Rainfall
 Site Age
 Moisture
 Wind flow/Direction/Intensity
 Physical, Chemical and
Biological activities

20. Preliminary Assessment for
Selection of Candidate site
 Preliminary Assessment
 Candidate sites to be identified based on the satellite
imageries and topographical sheets of the area.
 Preliminary studies with respect to their prominent
features, surrounding establishments and their
proximity to drinking water sources, habitation and
present usage etc. has to be done.
 Rejection or knockout criteria
 Characteristics of land
 Geology, Hydro-geology
 Ground Water Conditions
 Ecological considerations

21. Preliminary Assessment for
Rejection Criteria
 Unstable geological features like –
Unstable or weak soils: organic soil, soft clay or clay-sand
mixtures, soils that lose strength with
compaction or with wetting, clays with a shrink-swell
character, sands subject to subsidence and hydraulic
influence.
 Subsidence owing to subsurface mines, oil or gas
withdrawal; or solution-prone subsurface
 Flood prone areas
 Areas within 500 meter from water supply zone and
within 200 meter from property line

22. Preliminary Assessment for Rejection
Criteria
■ Natural depression and valleys where water
contamination is likely
■ Areas of ground water recharge and extremely high
water table zone
■ Unique habitation areas, close to national parks with
scenic beauty
■ Areas with high population, unique archaeological,
historical and religious interests
■ Agricultural and forest lands and existing dump sites

23. Preliminary Assessment for Rejection
Criteria
■ Atmospheric conditions that would prevent safe
dispersal of an accidental release
■ Major natural hazards : e.g. volcanic activity, seismic
disturbance and landslides
■ Sensitive locations : e.g storing flammable or
explosive materials; airports.

24. Preliminary Assessment for Rejection
Criteria
 The identified site are excluded if the following
conditions are existing :
- An unfavourable local hydro-geological situation, e.g.
springs or drinking water wells within very close
proximity to the chosen area
- Extremely bad access, i.e. no existing access roads to
the selected area which may involve
- Long distance more than 5 km from main roads

25. Preliminary Assessment for Rejection
Criteria
- Access roads passing densely populated areas
- Great differences in altitude between the area of
waste collection and the selected site
- Very intense agricultural use
- Inadequate available area
- Difficult geological situation, danger of mass
movements, too steep slopes, strata-bound
groundwater etc.

26. Secure Landfill
Compacted soil
of low
permeability
Monitoring Wells
Gas Water
To Leachate
Treatment Plant
To Gas recovery
System
Protective Clay
layer
Solid Waste
Leachate
collection
sump
Leachate
collection &
removal system
Leachate
detection ,
collection &
removal system
Protective
liners
Drain pipes
Surface Runoff
diversion

27. Detailed Site Investigation
 The main objective of the detailed evaluation is to assign
the relative rank to the potential sites among themselves.
 Before taking up detail evaluation, base line data
regarding the site and it's surroundings have to be
collected on
 Ambient air quality
 Water quality
 Ambient Noise quality
 Soil quality

28. Detailed Site Investigation
 The sites have to be investigated for
 Site Specific Information; proximity to the waste
source, slope at site, topography, accessibility,
meteorology etc.
 Hydro-geology/Geology; Ground water table
fluctuation, ground water direction, ground water
quality, depth to bed rock, soil type, geo-technical
features etc
 Socio-economic Features; land use, demography,
transportation impact etc.

29. Site Selection Through Ranking
 Attribute and Site Sensitive Index
 Site sensitive index graded in 4 categories
 Receptor related attributes influencing human habitation in
the vicinity
 Environment related attributes covering pollution
pathways
 Accessibility related attributes covering house distance
 Socio-economic related attributes influencing social
environment
 Waste management related attributes covering composition
and quality of the waste
 Geological related attributes covering hydro geological
aspects

30. Sr.
No.
Development of Site Sensitivity Index
Attribute 0.0-0.25 0.25-0.5 0.5-0.75 0.75-1.0
Accessibility Related
1. Type of road National
highway
State highway Local road No road
2. Distance from collection area < 10 km 10-20 km 20-25 km > 25 km
Receptor Related
3. Population within 500 meters 0 to 100 100 to 250 250 to 1000 > 1000
4. Distance to nearest drinking
water source
> 5000 m 2500 to
5000 m
1000 to
2500 m
< 1000 m
5. Use of site by nearby
residents
Not used Occasional Moderate Regular
6. Distance to nearest building > 3000 m 1500 to
3000 m
500 to
1500 m
< 500 m
7. Land use/Zoning Completel
y remote
(zoning
not
applicable)
Agricultural Commercial or
industrial
Residential
8. Decrease in property value
with respect to distance
> 5000 m 2500 to
5000 m
1000 to
2500 m
< 1000 m
9. Public utility facility within 2
kms
Commerci
al and
industrial
area
National
heritage
Hospital Air port
Contd...

31. Sr.
No.
Attribute 0.0-0.25 0.25-0.5 0.5-0.75 0.75-1.0
10. Public acceptability Fully accepted Acceptance with
suggestions
Acceptance
with major
changes
Non acceptance
Environmental Related
11. Critical environment Not a critical
environment
Pristine natural
areas
Wetlands,
flood plains,
and preserved
areas
Major habitat of
endangered or
threatened species
12. Distance to nearest
surface water
> 8000 m 1500 to
8000 m
500 to
1500 m
< 500 m
13. Depth to ground water > 30 m 15 to 30 m 5 to 15 m < 5 m
14. Contamina-tion No contamina-tion Soil contamina-tion
only
Biota-contamina-tion
Air, water or food
contamina-tion
15. Water quality Confirming to
standard
Potable Polluted Highly polluted
16. Air quality Confirming to
residential standards
Confirming to
industrial
standards
Polluted Highly polluted
17. Soil quality No contamina-tion Average Contami-nated Highly contami-nated
Socio-economic Related
18. Health No problem Moderate High Severe
19. Job opportunities High Moderate Low Very low
20. Odour No odour Moderate odour High odour Intensive foul odour
Contd...

32. Sr.
No.
Attribute 0.0-0.25 0.25-0.5 0.5-0.75 0.75-1.0
21. Vision Site not seen Site partly seen
(25%)
Site partly seen
(75%)
Site fully seen
Waste Management Practice Related
22. Waste quantity/day < 250 tonnes 250 to 1000
tonnes
1000 to 2000
tonnes
> 2000 tonnes
23. Life of site > 20 years 10-20 years 2-10 years < 2 years
Climatological Related
24. Precipitation effectiveness
index*
< 31 31 to 63 63 to 127 > 127
25. Climatic features
contributing to Air pollution
No problem Moderate High Severe
Geological Related
26. Soil permeability > 1 X 10-7 cm/sec. 1 X 10-5 to
1 x 10-7
cm/sec.
1 X 10-3 to
1 x 10-5
cm/sec.
< 1 X 10-3
cm/sec.
27. Depth to bedrock > 20 m 10 to 20 m 3 to 10 m < 3 m
28. Susceptibility to erosion
and run-off
Not susceptible Potential Moderate Severe
29. Thickness of bedrock > 20 m 20-10 m 10-2 m < 2 m
30. Physical characteris-tics of
rock
Massive Weathered Highly weathered
31. Depth of soil layer > 5 m 2-5 m 1-2 m < 1 m
32. Slope pattern < 1% 1-2% 2-5% > 10%
33. Seismicity Zone I Zone II Zone III Zone IV & V
* Precipitation effectiveness index is the ratio of annual precipitation of annual evaporation

33. Ranking Methodology
 Using Delphi Technique
 Weightage allocation based on importance and
pairwise comparison
 Site score calculation based on site sensitive index
and individual attribute weightage
 Facilitates in the selection of the best available site
 Site with least score will be less sensitive to
impact hence most acceptable

34. Attribute Attribute
measurement
Sensitivity index Weightage Attribute score
Accessibility Related
Type of road 25
Distance from collection point 35
Total 60
Receptor related
Population within 500 meters 50
Distance to nearest drinking
55
water source
Use of site by nearby residents 25
Distance to nearest building 15
Land use/Zoning 35
Decrease in property value with
15
respect to distance
Public utility facility within 2 kms 25
Public acceptability 30
Total 250
Contd...
Worksheet for Ranking of Sites
Name of site :
Location :

35. Attribute Attribute
measurement
Sensitivity index Weightage Attribute score
Environmental Related
Critical environments 45
Distance to nearest surface
55
water
Depth to ground water 65
Contamination 35
Water quality 40
Air quality 35
Soil quality 30
Total 305
Socio-economic Related
Health 40
Job opportunities 20
Odour 30
Vision 20
Total 110
Waste Management Practice Related
Waste quantity/day 45
Life of site 40
Total 85
Contd...

36. Attribute Attribute
measurement
Sensitivity index Weightage Attribute score
Climatological Related
Precipitation
effectiveness index
25
Climatic features
contributing to Air
pollution
15
Total 40
Geological Related
Soil permeability 35
Depth to bedrock 20
Susceptibility to
15
erosion & run-off
Physical characteristics
of rock
15
Depth of soil layer 30
Slope pattern 10
Seismicity 20
Total 150
Grand Total 1000

37. Aggregating Score for Site Selection
 The site suitability decreases with increase in the total
score
Total Score Site Description
< 300 Less sensitive to the impacts (preferable)
300 to 750 Moderate
> 750 Highly sensitive to the impacts (undesirable)

39. Lining Mechanism

40. NEEDED A LANDFILL
WITH DOUBLE LINER
AND LEACHATE COLLECTION SYSTEM
Waste Put on this

41. First HDPE Layer- March 2002

42. Leachate Pipe & Filter Media on First HDPE layer – Sept 2002

43. Second HDPE Lining under progress – Oct 2002

44. Secure Landfill
Double Composite Liner
Meets National Standards
Meets RFP Requirements
Meets RCRA Subtitle ‘C’
Specifications
Secure Engineered Landfill
Phased Approach
Facility

45. A Safe and Sound Handling

46. A Safe and Sound Handling

47. A Safe and Sound Handling

49. 28 TM PALFINGER CRANE
MOUNTED ON A 25 t TRUCK

55. Protection during rains

56. Protection During Rains

61. Landfill under capping Capped Landfill

62. Environment Management Plan
Air Quality Monitoring and Management
 Periodic Monitoring of air quality
 Maintenance of grass cover
 Black top roads
 Odor control by rapid stabilization
 Minimizing working distances internally
 Green belt development to attenuate noise
 Silencers to generators and vehicles

63. Environment Management Plan
Water Quality – Surface and Ground
 Clean water diversion
 Proper leachate management
 Periodic Monitoring
 Double composite liner system
 Effective drainage system
 Appropriate capping
 Spill control procedures

64. Environment Management Plan
 Activity wise Mitigation Measures During
 Site Clearance
 Construction
 Operation
 Closure
 Post-closure Phase
 EMP should also delineate the environmental
monitoring plan for compliance of various
environmental regulations

66. Thank You