SHWM – Module 3 – SANITARY LANDFILL AND HAZARDOUS WASTE MANAGEMENT  Mr.M.R.Ezhilkumar 2
Learning Outcomes
☼ Landfill site selection guidelines and criteria's to follow
3.2 – Site selection

Video Session

Landfill site selection

LANDFILL COMES LAST IN THE WASTE MANAGEMENT HIERARCHY
• Large Land Required.
• High Capital Costs for Landfill facility
• Valuable Resource is buried.
• Potential for ground water contamination and Air pollution
• Capital, O&M Costs of leachate treatment.

Landfill is still the dominant MSW disposal practice,even in the developed
world

LANDFILL COMPONENT REQUIREMENTS VARY
Depend on the characteristics of the waste, method of operation and nature of
the landfill site
• Inert landfills
• Sanitary landfills -MSW
• Secure landfills - HW
• Monofills
• Bioreactor landfills
• Sustainable landfills
• Excavated and filled
• Excavation/Trench method
• Built up from the ground
• Area method
• Fill existing depressions
• Canyon/depression method
• A combination of above

Landfill Siting - the first and most important consideration
• Prevention of environmental impacts
• Reducing the cost of:
• Design and Construction
• Operation
• Maintenance
• Mostly controversial
• NIMBY/NIMFY : Not In My Back/Front Yard Syndrome
• Time consuming

LANDFILL SITING – SEVERAL CONSIDERATIONS
• Haul Distance
• Close to waste generation from an engineering point of view;
• Location Restrictions
• airports, flood plains, wetlands
• Available Land
• perhaps for 25 years/min. for 15 years
• Site Access/Infrastructure
• capacity of the road network
• minimize passing of residences; proximity to railroad lines for long hauls.

• Soil Conditions and Topography
• cover material and excavation
• Climatological
• precipitation/evaporation for drainage and leachate control, prevailing winds for
litter and dust control

• Geologic and Hydrogeologic Conditions (Most important environmental
considerations)
• Ground water – Min. 2m above max. GWL
• Surface water – Wetlands, flood plains, water supply catchments
• Flora and Fauna – Avoid critical habitats
• Land ownership
• Community needs
• Ultimate use for completed landfills
• Buffer distances

Stages of a Landfill Sitting Process
• Define project and its needs
• Identify major environmental factors
• Identify candidate sites
• Collect and analyze environmental, economic, and socioeconomic data
• Evaluate candidates sites
• Screen candidate sites to a small number
• Collect and assess site-specific engineering and environmental data
• Decision making
Mapping of constraints
Short-listing of
potential sites
investigation on preferred sites
Ranking of sites
Final decision based on EIA and Public
Consultation

LANDFILL LOCATION-EXCLUSION CRITERIA
1. Lake or Pond > 200 m
2. River > 100 m
3. Flood Plain – Should not be built
4. Highway > 500 m from SH/ NH
5. Habitation > 500 m – Notified
Habitation
6. Public Parks > 500 m
7. Critical Habitat – Should not be built
– Endangered Species
8. Wetlands – Should not be built
9. Airports – As per Aviation Authority >
10 Kms
10. Water Supply Well > 500 m
11. Coastal Regulation Zone – Should
not be built
12. Groundwater Level > 2m from base
of landfill

Ranking of MSW Landfill sites - Attribute Weightage and Sensitivity
Guidelines

Guidelines

SITE EVALUATION BASED ON THE AGGREGATE SCORE
Preferred location:
1. Low Population
2. Low Alternate Land use
3. Low Groundwater contamination Potential
4. Low Permeable Soils
5. Proximity to Waste generators
6. Minimum Rainfall
7. Not Sensitive Areas

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT PROCESS

Extensive Data to be considered
• Topo Maps
• Soil Maps
• Land Use Plans
• Transportation Maps
• Water Use Plans
• Flood Plain Maps
• Geological Maps
• Aerial Photographs
• Groundwater Maps
• Rainfall Data
• Wind Map
• Seismic Data

Extensive Data to be considered
• Subsoil Investigation – Geophysical: Stratification, GW Table and Bedrock, Soil
Properties
• Groundwater/Hydrogeological Investigation
• Depth to GW, GW flow direction, Baseline information
• 3 Boreholes per Hectare of landfill area upto 15m beneath base of landfill
• Topographical Investigation: 0.3 m interval
• Hydrological Investigation: Runoff water planning
• Geological and Seismic Investigation: Bedrock Profile, specially in hilly and rocky
areas

It is not enough that the best site is chosen
• A buffer zone of No-Development should be declared and enforced
• in the land-use plans, to prevent objections by future neighbours in later years
before the site life is exhausted.
• Landfill facilities should:
• minimise potential environmental impacts;
• minimise health and safety risks for landfill operators and the public and
• make the most efficient use of resources onsite

Essential Components of Landfills to focus
1. The liner system at the base and sides of the landfill prevents migration of
leachate or gas to the surrounding environment.
2. The leachate collection and treatment system collects and extracts
leachate from within and from the base of the landfill and treats to meet
regulatory requirements.
3. Landfill Gas management System (Optional)
4. The final cover of the landfill enhances surface drainage, prevents infiltration
of water and supports surface vegetation.

Essential Components of Landfills to focus
5. The surface water drainage system collects and removes all surface runoff
from the landfill site.
6. The environmental monitoring system periodically collects and analyses
air, surface water, soil and ground water samples around the landfill site.

INCORPORATE OPERATIONAL BEST PRACTICES
• Environmental improvement
• Financial assurance: after care
and remedial action
• Waste minimisation
• Waste acceptance
• Waste pre-treatment
• Waste placement
• Waste cover
• Litter control
• Fire control
• Contingency planning
• Performance monitoring and
reporting

Assessment Time
Review
Question Recommend a suitable landfill location in Coimbatore region
based on the criteria for selection.

Landfill Site selection