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Lecture No: 1515.1. Environmental effects
Landfilling can have several negative impacts upon the surrounding environment bothduring construction (e.g. waste deposition) and after the landfill has been closed. The effectsdepend upon the conditions at the landfill, i.e., the waste composition and quantity, thequality of environmental protection activities, operation strategy, geographical location,hydrological conditions at the location and time.
Figure 15.1
shows some of the mostimportant environmental effects on soil, water and air caused by landfilling together with thetypical distances over which the effects are significant.
Figure 15.1
 
Potential environmental effects on soil, water and air as a function of distance from a landfill15.1.1 Atmospheric environmentGlobal warming
. Organic wastes deposited in landfills will typically decompose biologicallyunder anaerobic conditions producing methane gas. Part of the methane will escape to theatmosphere and add to global warming because it is a much more powerful greenhouse gascompared to carbon dioxide. The CO
2
produced from the organic wastes will not add toglobal warming, as the organic matter is in essence CO
2
neutral because it is synthesized via photosynthesis. Methane accounts for approximately18% of the total quantity of greenhouse gases on a global scale (Christensen, 1998). Methanefrom landfills accounts for approximately 1-2% of global greenhouse gas emissions(Thorneloe 1996). Methane produced at landfills can be collected via gas extraction systemsand used for energy production. This will reduce global warming potential, as the CO
2
 produced from combustion of methane is neutral with respect to global warming. Part of themethane that is not collected will be oxidized biologically in the upper aerobic layers of the
 
landfill cover. Preventing organic wastes from being deposited at landfills can also reducemethane emissions.
Ozone depletion.
Chlorine and fluorine containing gases released to the atmosphere are potentially harmful to the ozone layer. These gases are degraded photo chemically in theupper atmosphere producing free chlorine and fluorine that reacts with ozone and therebydeplete the ozone concentrations that protects the earths surface from the ultra violet rays of the sun. In connection with landfills the gases are primarily released from disposedrefrigerators, freezers and other types pf cooling equipment, solvents and insulation materials.Many of the gases can potentially be degraded under the anaerobic conditions existing inlandfills (Kromann et al. 1998) but since the gases are very volatile significant quantitiessignificant quantities will escape to the atmosphere. Controlled collection and combustion of the landfill gas can reduce emissions of the ozone depleting gases.
Toxic gases.
Landfill gas contains significant concentrations of compounds that are potentially toxic to humans. These gases include mainly CO
2
and H
2
S. Toxic gases are also present in trace amounts in the landfill gas. Here benzene and vinyl chloride, dioxins andfurans are important due to their carcinogenic and toxic properties. Dioxins and furans arenormally produced via uncontrolled combustion of the landfill gas. Benzene normallyoriginates from gasoline and solvents disposed of at the landfill. Vinyl chloride is adegradation product from trichloroethylene, a solvent that can be degraded under anaerobicconditions. Vinyl chloride itself is not very degradable under anaerobic conditions andtherefore has the potential to reach the atmosphere. Controlled collection and combustion of landfill gas will reduce the emissions of toxic gases to the environment.
Odor.
Problems with odorous and foul smelling compounds are typically significant onlynear the landfill. Important odorous compounds are H
2
S and organic sulfur compounds(mercaptans etc.). Odor problems are most significant during deposition of the wastes at thelandfill. Odor can be a significant nuisance in areas near a landfill. Odor problems can bereduced by minimizing the amount of easily degradable material in the landfill, by keeping asmall open waste front at the landfill, by operating as far away from inhabited areas duringthe summer as possible and by placing landfills under consideration of prevailing winddirections.
Noise.
 Noise is one of the most significant nuisances near the landfill and is created by thetraffic of waste trucks to and from the landfill. Also compactors and other large equipment inuse at the landfill add to the noise problem. In special cases can birds especially seagullscreate their own noise problem. Constructing noise barriers around the landfill area such as
 
earthen walls and dense plantations can reduce noise. Noise reduction can also be achieved by using equipment that creates less noise and restricting operation hours especially duringseasons when resident uses outdoors facilities.
15.1.2.Soil environmentVectors.
Landfills that receive organic (food) wastes usually attract animals and insects thatseek food and tend to multiply in the area. It is especially flies, gulls, rats and cockroachesthat are attracted to the wastes. Most of these animals can spread diseases and is therefore ahygienic problem. Large flocks of birds can also cause problems for air traffic. The presenceof animals can be reduced by carefully covering the wastes after each day, using a thick toplayer, using rat poison and by using bird nets over the landfill site.
Fly waste and dust
.
 
Dust and fly waste (waste transported by the wind) can often be anuisance near landfill sites. Dust is especially a problem at sites where ash and soil isdeposited. Dust and fly waste can be reduced by using only a small open waste front, bywatering dry wastes, by covering the wastes carefully and by regular cleaning of the landfillarea.
Fire and explosion hazard.
Landfill gas can potentially cause fire and explosions, as the gasis highly combustible. The gas is explosive if between 5 and 15% methane is mixed withatmospheric air. This range is not very dependent upon the presence of other components inthe gas (Gendebien et al. 1992). Landfill gas is normally not a problem with respect toexplosion hazard if the gas is emitted directly to the atmosphere. It is however not uncommonthat the gas can ignite and burn steadily at the location of emission. If the gas seeps intoclosed spaces such as basements in houses or sewers there is a potential explosion hazard.A spark from electrical installations can ignite the gas. Explosions in residential areasnear landfills are not all that uncommon and people have been reported killed in suchexplosions. In March 1991 an explosion occurred in an older house near an old closed landfillat Skellingsted, Seland, Denmark killing two people. The house was constructed withwooden floors directly over the soil surface offering no gas flow barrier and was located 20 maway from the landfill edge.
Figure 15.2
shows the weather pattern during the period. It isseen that the explosion occurred simultaneously with the passage of a low-pressure weather system and that significant rain fell the day before the explosion. The rain likely sealed theupper layers of the soil, restricting gas movement whereas the low pressure increased the gas pressure gradient across the soil formation. The gas was therefore forced to escape under thehouse (the only dry spot) and increased gas movement into the house. It is believed that acigarette ignited the gas once concentrations became high enough. The fire and explosion
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