Understanding the Process of Community Recycling Centers

Understanding the Process of Community Recycling Centers

Key Definitions and Terminologies in Waste Disposal

Community recycling centers play a pivotal role in the broader waste management system, serving as accessible hubs where individuals can contribute to environmental sustainability. These centers are instrumental in the process of collecting, sorting, and preparing recyclable materials for further processing, ultimately reducing the amount of waste that ends up in landfills.


One of the primary functions of community recycling centers is to act as collection points for various types of recyclables. They are strategically located within communities to encourage public participation by making it convenient for residents to drop off items such as paper, plastics, metals, and glass. By providing these dedicated spaces, recycling centers help streamline the initial phase of waste segregation at the source.


Once collected, materials undergo a rigorous sorting process. This step is crucial because not all materials can be recycled together; different substances require distinct handling techniques and machinery for effective recycling. Community recycling centers often employ advanced technologies and manual labor to ensure that each item is correctly categorized and prepared for processing. This meticulous sorting reduces contamination rates and improves the quality of recyclables sent to manufacturing facilities.


Moreover, community recycling centers also serve an educational purpose. They often engage with local residents through workshops and informational sessions aimed at raising awareness about proper recycling practices. Their services include the removal of old appliances and unwanted furniture professional junk eco-friendly. By educating the public on what can and cannot be recycled, as well as emphasizing the importance of reducing contamination in recycle bins, these centers foster more responsible consumer behavior.


In addition to their environmental benefits, community recycling centers contribute economically by creating jobs within local areas. From operators who manage daily center operations to drivers who transport sorted materials to processing plants, these centers provide employment opportunities across various skill levels.


Furthermore, they facilitate partnerships between governments, non-profit organizations, and private enterprises committed to sustainable waste management practices. Through these collaborations, community recycling centers can access necessary funding and resources required for upgrading facilities or expanding outreach programs.


In conclusion, community recycling centers are integral components of modern waste management systems. They not only provide essential services in terms of material recovery but also play a significant role in educating communities about sustainable practices while supporting local economies through job creation.

Understanding the Process of Community Recycling Centers - television set

  1. sustainability
  2. payment
  3. Appliance recycling
As we continue to seek innovative solutions for global environmental challenges, strengthening these grassroots efforts remains vital in promoting a circular economy where resources are reused efficiently rather than discarded thoughtlessly.

The importance of promoting sustainability within the framework of community recycling centers cannot be overstated. In a world increasingly aware of its environmental footprint, these centers serve as pivotal hubs for fostering sustainable practices at the grassroots level. They are not merely facilities where waste is sorted and processed; they represent a tangible commitment by communities to reduce their impact on the planet.


First and foremost, community recycling centers play a crucial role in reducing landfill waste. By providing a structured means for citizens to recycle materials such as paper, plastic, glass, and metal, these centers help divert significant amounts of waste from landfills. This reduction is vital because landfills contribute to numerous environmental problems, including soil pollution and methane emissions-a potent greenhouse gas that exacerbates climate change.


Moreover, recycling conserves natural resources. For instance, when aluminum cans are recycled instead of being produced anew from raw materials, energy consumption is drastically reduced-by up to 95%. Community recycling centers facilitate this conservation by ensuring recyclable materials are efficiently collected and processed for reuse. This not only preserves finite resources but also reduces the energy required in manufacturing processes.


In addition to tangible environmental benefits, community recycling centers promote sustainability through education and awareness-raising activities. They often host workshops and outreach programs aimed at informing local residents about the importance of recycling and sustainable living practices. These educational efforts empower individuals with knowledge on how their daily choices can contribute to a healthier planet. By demystifying the process of recycling and demonstrating its benefits, these centers cultivate an informed citizenry committed to sustainability.


Furthermore, community recycling centers can stimulate local economies by creating green jobs. From sorting technicians to outreach coordinators, these facilities require a diverse workforce dedicated to managing operations effectively. As demand for sustainable practices grows, so does the potential for job creation within this sector-thereby supporting economic development while advancing environmental goals.


Community involvement is another key aspect that underscores the importance of promoting sustainability through these centers. Recycling initiatives thrive when there is active participation from local residents who feel invested in their community's well-being. By encouraging people to engage directly with sustainability efforts-whether through volunteering or participating in decision-making processes-recycling centers foster a sense of collective responsibility towards preserving the environment.


In conclusion, understanding the process of community recycling centers reveals their indispensable role in promoting sustainability. From reducing landfill dependency and conserving resources to educating citizens and driving economic growth through green jobs, these centers encapsulate a holistic approach to environmental stewardship. As we continue striving towards more sustainable futures, nurturing and expanding such initiatives will be critical in shaping resilient communities that prioritize ecological integrity alongside human progress.

Composting Programs Expand as Cities Shift to Zero-Waste Goals

Composting Programs Expand as Cities Shift to Zero-Waste Goals

As cities worldwide grapple with the mounting challenges of waste management, the shift towards zero-waste goals has gained significant momentum.. Among the many strategies to achieve these ambitious targets, urban composting programs stand out for their potential to transform organic waste into a valuable resource.

Posted by on 2024-12-07

Tech Startups Drive Innovations in Waste Sorting and Recycling Efficiency

Tech Startups Drive Innovations in Waste Sorting and Recycling Efficiency

In recent years, the issue of waste management has moved to the forefront of global environmental concerns.. As populations continue to grow and consumption increases, the challenge of managing waste sustainably becomes more pressing.

Posted by on 2024-12-07

Global Plastic Waste Regulations Aim to Mitigate Ocean Pollution

Global Plastic Waste Regulations Aim to Mitigate Ocean Pollution

The escalating crisis of plastic pollution in our oceans has emerged as a pivotal environmental challenge, demanding immediate and cohesive global action.. As we peer into the future of ocean conservation, it becomes increasingly clear that addressing this issue necessitates not only stringent regulations but also collaborative efforts across nations, industries, and communities. Plastic waste, which accounts for a significant portion of marine debris, poses severe threats to marine ecosystems and biodiversity.

Posted by on 2024-12-07

Businesses Turn to Sustainable Waste Management Practices for Green Certification

Businesses Turn to Sustainable Waste Management Practices for Green Certification

In recent years, the business world has witnessed a profound shift towards sustainability, driven by an urgent need to address environmental challenges and meet the rising expectations of consumers and stakeholders.. Among the various facets of sustainability, waste management stands out as a critical area where businesses can make significant improvements.

Posted by on 2024-12-07

Roles and Responsibilities of Generators, Transporters, and Disposers

Community recycling centers play a pivotal role in the sustainable management of our environment, serving as hubs for waste diversion and resource recovery. Understanding their key functions and operations is essential to appreciating how these centers contribute to environmental conservation and community well-being.


At the heart of a community recycling center's operations are its collection and sorting processes. These facilities act as intermediaries between individual households or businesses and larger recycling industries. By providing accessible drop-off points, they encourage residents to participate in recycling initiatives conveniently. They accept various materials such as paper, plastics, metals, glass, and electronics, each requiring specific handling procedures to ensure quality recovery.


Once materials arrive at the center, the sorting process begins. This involves separating recyclables from contaminants to maximize the purity of output streams.

Understanding the Process of Community Recycling Centers - couch

  1. cash
  2. television set
  3. couch
Advanced sorting technologies like conveyor belts with optical sorters and magnetic separators are often employed alongside manual labor to enhance efficiency and accuracy. Proper sorting is crucial because it determines the quality of recycled materials sold to manufacturers who turn them into new products.


Another critical function of community recycling centers is education and outreach. These centers serve as educational platforms where individuals can learn about waste reduction strategies, proper recycling techniques, and the importance of sustainability. Workshops, tours, and informational campaigns help raise awareness about environmental issues while empowering community members with actionable knowledge.


Furthermore, community recycling centers often engage in partnerships with local governments, businesses, and non-profit organizations to amplify their impact. These collaborations can lead to expanded services such as hazardous waste disposal events or composting programs that further reduce landfill contributions.


Operationally, these centers must navigate logistical challenges such as fluctuating market demands for recyclables and regulatory compliance regarding waste management practices. Efficient inventory management systems are vital for tracking material flows and ensuring timely processing without overwhelming storage capacities.


In conclusion, community recycling centers are instrumental in driving sustainable development through their key functions of collection, sorting, education, collaboration, and operational efficiency. By understanding these processes better, communities can enhance participation in recycling efforts while promoting a culture of environmental stewardship that benefits both present and future generations.

Roles and Responsibilities of Generators, Transporters, and Disposers

Permitting and Compliance Requirements for Waste Disposal Facilities

Community recycling centers play a pivotal role in promoting environmental sustainability and reducing waste. One of their key functions is the collection and sorting of recyclable materials, a process that demands meticulous planning, community involvement, and efficient management.


At the heart of this process is the collection phase. Community recycling centers often rely on multiple methods to gather recyclables from households and businesses. Curbside pickup is one common approach, where residents place their sorted recyclables in designated bins for regular collection by local sanitation services. Alternatively, drop-off centers allow individuals to bring their recyclable items directly to a central location. Both methods require clear communication with the public about what materials are acceptable and how they should be prepared for recycling.


Once collected, the sorting process begins. This step is crucial because it determines the quality and marketability of the recycled materials. At many facilities, sorting starts with a manual inspection to remove contaminants-items that cannot be recycled or are incorrectly sorted-which can include plastic bags, food waste, or non-recyclable plastics. Advanced recycling centers may employ automated systems featuring conveyor belts, magnets, air jets, and optical scanners that identify and separate materials based on type-such as glass, paper, metals, and various kinds of plastics.


The precision of sorting significantly impacts the efficiency of recycling operations. Properly sorted materials ensure higher purity levels when they reach manufacturers who will repurpose them into new products. For example, clear separation of colored from clear glass helps maintain material integrity during reprocessing while segregating different types of plastics ensures each type can be melted down without contamination.


Community engagement is another vital component in this ecosystem. Effective education campaigns are essential to inform residents about proper recycling practices and encourage participation. Workshops, informational pamphlets, social media outreach, and school programs all contribute to raising awareness about what can be recycled and why it matters.


Furthermore, technological advancements continue to enhance both collection and sorting processes at community recycling centers. Innovations such as smart bins equipped with sensors can monitor fill levels in real-time or provide feedback on incorrect disposal practices via connected apps for residents.


In conclusion, collection and sorting at community recycling centers form the backbone of effective waste management systems that benefit both local environments and global ecological efforts. By combining technology with active community engagement strategies-while continually refining operational efficiencies-recycling initiatives can significantly reduce landfill contributions while fostering an ethos of sustainability within communities worldwide.

Current Challenges in Enforcing Waste Management Regulations

Understanding the process of community recycling centers is essential in grasping how local efforts contribute to global sustainability. At the heart of these centers lies a blend of traditional and modern processing techniques and technologies, working harmoniously to transform discarded materials into reusable resources.


Initially, the journey of recyclable materials begins with collection. Community recycling centers often employ curbside pickup services or designated drop-off locations to gather recyclables from residents. These collected items are then transported to the center where they undergo a sorting process. While manual sorting by trained staff remains a critical component, modern facilities increasingly rely on advanced technologies such as conveyor belts equipped with optical sorters and magnets. These machines efficiently separate materials based on their type, composition, and properties-such as distinguishing between different plastics or extracting ferrous metals using magnetic forces.


Once sorted, each category of material follows a specific processing pathway designed to prepare it for reuse or resale. For instance, paper products are typically cleaned of contaminants like ink and adhesives before being pulped and formed into new paper products. Glass items are crushed into cullet-a raw material used in glass manufacturing-while metals are shredded and melted down for repurposing in various industries.


Plastic recycling presents unique challenges due to the diversity of plastic types and their varying chemical compositions. Advanced techniques such as polymer identification through infrared spectroscopy help ensure that plastics are accurately categorized for appropriate processing. Emerging technologies like chemical recycling also offer promising solutions by breaking down plastics at a molecular level, allowing them to be reconstituted into new polymers without degrading quality.


Throughout this intricate process, technology plays an indispensable role-not only in improving efficiency but also in minimizing contamination rates that can compromise the integrity of recycled outputs. Automated systems equipped with machine learning algorithms continually enhance sorting accuracy by adapting to changes in waste streams over time.


Community engagement is another vital element underpinning successful recycling initiatives. Educating residents about proper waste segregation practices reduces contamination at source, making subsequent processing more straightforward and effective. Public awareness campaigns emphasizing the importance of reducing single-use plastics further bolster these efforts by decreasing overall waste generation.


In conclusion, community recycling centers embody a microcosm of environmental stewardship where human ingenuity meets technological advancement. By understanding their processes-from collection through sophisticated sorting and reprocessing-we gain insight into how individual actions collectively foster sustainable practices that benefit both local communities and the planet at large. As these centers continue evolving with emerging technologies, they remain pivotal agents in shaping a more sustainable future for generations to come.

Innovations and Best Practices in Waste Disposal Methods

Waste management regulations play a crucial role in the effective operation of community recycling centers. These centers serve as pivotal hubs in the journey towards sustainable living, offering communities a practical means to contribute to environmental conservation. Understanding the intricacies of these regulations and their impact on recycling centers is essential for grasping how communities can effectively participate in waste reduction initiatives.


At the heart of any successful recycling center are the guidelines established by waste management regulations, which ensure that operations run smoothly and efficiently. These regulations set standards for sorting materials, managing hazardous waste, and ensuring the safety of both workers and patrons. By adhering to these rules, recycling centers can minimize contamination, reduce health risks, and optimize resource recovery.


A key aspect of these regulations involves educating the public about what can and cannot be recycled. Community engagement is vital; when individuals understand how to sort their recyclables correctly, it significantly reduces contamination levels at recycling centers. This not only enhances the quality of recyclable materials but also lowers processing costs, making recycling efforts more economically viable.


Moreover, waste management regulations often mandate regular inspections and audits of recycling facilities to ensure compliance with health and safety standards. These checks help maintain high operational standards while providing transparency and accountability to the community. They also encourage continuous improvement within recycling centers by identifying areas where processes can be enhanced or updated according to new technological advancements or changes in market demands.


Another critical component governed by these regulations is the handling of electronic waste (e-waste). Given its potentially hazardous nature due to substances like lead or mercury found in electronics, specialized procedures must be followed to safely manage e-waste at community recycling centers. Regulations stipulate strict protocols for collecting, storing, and processing such items to prevent environmental pollution and protect human health.


In essence, understanding waste management regulations is integral for anyone involved with or utilizing community recycling centers. These guidelines not only help streamline operations but also foster trust between the community and facility operators by ensuring that actions taken are environmentally responsible and socially beneficial. As we continue striving towards a circular economy where resources are reused rather than discarded, well-regulated community recycling centers stand as beacons of sustainability-reminding us all that every small act of responsible disposal contributes significantly toward a cleaner planet.

A landfill in Łubna, Poland in 1999

A landfill[a] is a site for the disposal of waste materials. It is the oldest and most common form of waste disposal, although the systematic burial of waste with daily, intermediate and final covers only began in the 1940s. In the past, waste was simply left in piles or thrown into pits (known in archeology as middens).

Landfills take up a lot of land and pose environmental risks. Some landfill sites are used for waste management purposes, such as temporary storage, consolidation and transfer, or for various stages of processing waste material, such as sorting, treatment, or recycling. Unless they are stabilized, landfills may undergo severe shaking or soil liquefaction of the ground during an earthquake. Once full, the area over a landfill site may be reclaimed for other uses.

Operations

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One of several landfills used by Dryden, Ontario, Canada
Garbage dumped in the middle of a road in Karachi, Pakistan

Operators of well-run landfills for non-hazardous waste meet predefined specifications by applying techniques to:[1]

  1. confine waste to as small an area as possible
  2. compact waste to reduce volume[2]

They can also cover waste (usually daily) with layers of soil or other types of material such as woodchips and fine particles.

During landfill operations, a scale or weighbridge may weigh waste collection vehicles on arrival and personnel may inspect loads for wastes that do not accord with the landfill's waste-acceptance criteria.[2] Afterward, the waste collection vehicles use the existing road network on their way to the tipping face or working front, where they unload their contents. After loads are deposited, compactors or bulldozers can spread and compact the waste on the working face. Before leaving the landfill boundaries, the waste collection vehicles may pass through a wheel-cleaning facility. If necessary, they return to the weighbridge for re-weighing without their load. The weighing process can assemble statistics on the daily incoming waste tonnage, which databases can retain for record keeping. In addition to trucks, some landfills may have equipment to handle railroad containers. The use of "rail-haul" permits landfills to be located at more remote sites, without the problems associated with many truck trips.

Typically, in the working face, the compacted waste is covered with soil or alternative materials daily. Alternative waste-cover materials include chipped wood or other "green waste",[3] several sprayed-on foam products, chemically "fixed" bio-solids, and temporary blankets. Blankets can be lifted into place at night and then removed the following day prior to waste placement. The space that is occupied daily by the compacted waste and the cover material is called a daily cell. Waste compaction is critical to extending the life of the landfill. Factors such as waste compressibility, waste-layer thickness and the number of passes of the compactor over the waste affect the waste densities.

Sanitary landfill life cycle

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Sanitary landfill diagram

The term landfill is usually shorthand for a municipal landfill or sanitary landfill. These facilities were first introduced early in the 20th century, but gained wide use in the 1960s and 1970s, in an effort to eliminate open dumps and other "unsanitary" waste disposal practices. The sanitary landfill is an engineered facility that separates and confines waste. Sanitary landfills are intended as biological reactors (bioreactors) in which microbes will break down complex organic waste into simpler, less toxic compounds over time. These reactors must be designed and operated according to regulatory standards and guidelines (See environmental engineering).

Usually, aerobic decomposition is the first stage by which wastes are broken down in a landfill. These are followed by four stages of anaerobic degradation. Usually, solid organic material in solid phase decays rapidly as larger organic molecules degrade into smaller molecules. These smaller organic molecules begin to dissolve and move to the liquid phase, followed by hydrolysis of these organic molecules, and the hydrolyzed compounds then undergo transformation and volatilization as carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4), with rest of the waste remaining in solid and liquid phases.

During the early phases, little material volume reaches the leachate, as the biodegradable organic matter of the waste undergoes a rapid decrease in volume. Meanwhile, the leachate's chemical oxygen demand increases with increasing concentrations of the more recalcitrant compounds compared to the more reactive compounds in the leachate. Successful conversion and stabilization of the waste depend on how well microbial populations function in syntrophy, i.e. an interaction of different populations to provide each other's nutritional needs.:[4]

The life cycle of a municipal landfill undergoes five distinct phases:[5][4]

Initial adjustment (Phase I)

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As the waste is placed in the landfill, the void spaces contain high volumes of molecular oxygen (O2). With added and compacted wastes, the O2 content of the landfill bioreactor strata gradually decreases. Microbial populations grow, density increases. Aerobic biodegradation dominates, i.e. the primary electron acceptor is O2.

Transition (Phase II)

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The O2 is rapidly degraded by the existing microbial populations. The decreasing O2 leads to less aerobic and more anaerobic conditions in the layers. The primary electron acceptors during transition are nitrates and sulphates since O2 is rapidly displaced by CO2 in the effluent gas.

Acid formation (Phase III)

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Hydrolysis of the biodegradable fraction of the solid waste begins in the acid formation phase, which leads to rapid accumulation of volatile fatty acids (VFAs) in the leachate. The increased organic acid content decreases the leachate pH from approximately 7.5 to 5.6. During this phase, the decomposition intermediate compounds like the VFAs contribute much chemical oxygen demand (COD). Long-chain volatile organic acids (VOAs) are converted to acetic acid (C2H4O2), CO2, and hydrogen gas (H2). High concentrations of VFAs increase both the biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and VOA concentrations, which initiates H2 production by fermentative bacteria, which stimulates the growth of H2-oxidizing bacteria. The H2 generation phase is relatively short because it is complete by the end of the acid formation phase. The increase in the biomass of acidogenic bacteria increases the amount of degradation of the waste material and consuming nutrients. Metals, which are generally more water-soluble at lower pH, may become more mobile during this phase, leading to increasing metal concentrations in the leachate.

Methane fermentation (Phase IV)

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The acid formation phase intermediary products (e.g., acetic, propionic, and butyric acids) are converted to CH4 and CO2 by methanogenic microorganisms. As VFAs are metabolized by the methanogens, the landfill water pH returns to neutrality. The leachate's organic strength, expressed as oxygen demand, decreases at a rapid rate with increases in CH4 and CO2 gas production. This is the longest decomposition phase.

Final maturation and stabilization (Phase V)

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The rate of microbiological activity slows during the last phase of waste decomposition as the supply of nutrients limits the chemical reactions, e.g. as bioavailable phosphorus becomes increasingly scarce. CH4 production almost completely disappears, with O2 and oxidized species gradually reappearing in the gas wells as O2 permeates downwardly from the troposphere. This transforms the oxidation–reduction potential (ORP) in the leachate toward oxidative processes. The residual organic materials may incrementally be converted to the gas phase, and as organic matter is composted; i.e. the organic matter is converted to humic-like compounds.[6]

Social and environmental impact

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Landfill operation in Hawaii. The area being filled is a single, well-defined "cell" and a protective landfill liner is in place (exposed on the left) to prevent contamination by leachates migrating downward through the underlying geological formation.

Landfills have the potential to cause a number of issues. Infrastructure disruption, such as damage to access roads by heavy vehicles, may occur. Pollution of local roads and watercourses from wheels on vehicles when they leave the landfill can be significant and can be mitigated by wheel washing systems. Pollution of the local environment, such as contamination of groundwater or aquifers or soil contamination may occur, as well.

Leachate

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When precipitation falls on open landfills, water percolates through the garbage and becomes contaminated with suspended and dissolved material, forming leachate. If this is not contained it can contaminate groundwater. All modern landfill sites use a combination of impermeable liners several metres thick, geologically stable sites and collection systems to contain and capture this leachate. It can then be treated and evaporated. Once a landfill site is full, it is sealed off to prevent precipitation ingress and new leachate formation. However, liners must have a lifespan, be it several hundred years or more. Eventually, any landfill liner could leak,[7] so the ground around landfills must be tested for leachate to prevent pollutants from contaminating groundwater.

Decomposition gases

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Rotting food and other decaying organic waste create decomposition gases, especially CO2 and CH4 from aerobic and anaerobic decomposition, respectively. Both processes occur simultaneously in different parts of a landfill. In addition to available O2, the fraction of gas constituents will vary, depending on the age of landfill, type of waste, moisture content and other factors. For example, the maximum amount of landfill gas produced can be illustrated a simplified net reaction of diethyl oxalate that accounts for these simultaneous reactions:[8]

4 C6H10O4 + 6 H2O → 13 CH4 + 11 CO2

On average, about half of the volumetric concentration of landfill gas is CH4 and slightly less than half is CO2. The gas also contains about 5% molecular nitrogen (N2), less than 1% hydrogen sulfide (H2S), and a low concentration of non-methane organic compounds (NMOC), about 2700 ppmv.[8]

Waste disposal in Athens, Greece

Landfill gases can seep out of the landfill and into the surrounding air and soil. Methane is a greenhouse gas, and is flammable and potentially explosive at certain concentrations, which makes it perfect for burning to generate electricity cleanly. Since decomposing plant matter and food waste only release carbon that has been captured from the atmosphere through photosynthesis, no new carbon enters the carbon cycle and the atmospheric concentration of CO2 is not affected. Carbon dioxide traps heat in the atmosphere, contributing to climate change.[9] In properly managed landfills, gas is collected and flared or recovered for landfill gas utilization.

Vectors

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Poorly run landfills may become nuisances because of vectors such as rats and flies which can spread infectious diseases. The occurrence of such vectors can be mitigated through the use of daily cover.

Other nuisances

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A group of wild elephants interacting with a trash dump in Sri Lanka

Other potential issues include wildlife disruption due to occupation of habitat[10] and animal health disruption caused by consuming waste from landfills,[11] dust, odor, noise pollution, and reduced local property values.

Landfill gas

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A gas flare produced by a landfill in Lake County, Ohio

Gases are produced in landfills due to the anaerobic digestion by microbes. In a properly managed landfill, this gas is collected and used. Its uses range from simple flaring to the landfill gas utilization and generation of electricity. Landfill gas monitoring alerts workers to the presence of a build-up of gases to a harmful level. In some countries, landfill gas recovery is extensive; in the United States, for example, more than 850 landfills have active landfill gas recovery systems.[12]

Solar landfill

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Solar arrays on a full landfill in Rehoboth, MA

A Solar landfill is a repurposed used landfill that is converted to a solar array solar farm.[13]

Regional practice

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A landfill in Perth, Western Australia
South East New Territories Landfill, Hong Kong

Canada

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Landfills in Canada are regulated by provincial environmental agencies and environmental protection legislation.[14] Older facilities tend to fall under current standards and are monitored for leaching.[15] Some former locations have been converted to parkland.

European Union

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The Rusko landfill in Oulu, Finland

In the European Union, individual states are obliged to enact legislation to comply with the requirements and obligations of the European Landfill Directive.

The majority of EU member states have laws banning or severely restricting the disposal of household trash via landfills.[16]

India

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Landfilling is currently the major method of municipal waste disposal in India. India also has Asia's largest dumping ground in Deonar, Mumbai.[17] However, issues frequently arise due to the alarming growth rate of landfills and poor management by authorities.[18] On and under surface fires have been commonly seen in the Indian landfills over the last few years.[17]

United Kingdom

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Landfilling practices in the UK have had to change in recent years to meet the challenges of the European Landfill Directive. The UK now imposes landfill tax upon biodegradable waste which is put into landfills. In addition to this the Landfill Allowance Trading Scheme has been established for local authorities to trade landfill quotas in England. A different system operates in Wales where authorities cannot 'trade' amongst themselves, but have allowances known as the Landfill Allowance Scheme.

United States

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U.S. landfills are regulated by each state's environmental agency, which establishes minimum guidelines; however, none of these standards may fall below those set by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).[19]

Permitting a landfill generally takes between five and seven years, costs millions of dollars and requires rigorous siting, engineering and environmental studies and demonstrations to ensure local environmental and safety concerns are satisfied.[20]

Types

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Microbial topics

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The status of a landfill's microbial community may determine its digestive efficiency.[23]

Bacteria that digest plastic have been found in landfills.[24]

Reclaiming materials

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One can treat landfills as a viable and abundant source of materials and energy. In the developing world, waste pickers often scavenge for still-usable materials. In commercial contexts, companies have also discovered landfill sites, and many[quantify] have begun harvesting materials and energy.[25] Well-known examples include gas-recovery facilities.[26] Other commercial facilities include waste incinerators which have built-in material recovery. This material recovery is possible through the use of filters (electro filter, active-carbon and potassium filter, quench, HCl-washer, SO2-washer, bottom ash-grating, etc.).

Alternatives

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In addition to waste reduction and recycling strategies, there are various alternatives to landfills, including waste-to-energy incineration, anaerobic digestion, composting, mechanical biological treatment, pyrolysis and plasma arc gasification. Depending on local economics and incentives, these can be made more financially attractive than landfills.

The goal of the zero waste concept is to minimize landfill volume.[27]

Restrictions

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Countries including Germany, Austria, Sweden,[28] Denmark, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Switzerland, have banned the disposal of untreated waste in landfills.[citation needed] In these countries, only certain hazardous wastes, fly ashes from incineration or the stabilized output of mechanical biological treatment plants may still be deposited.[citation needed]

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ Also known as a tip, dump, rubbish tip, rubbish dump, garbage dump, trash dump, or dumping ground.

References

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  1. ^ "Waste Management. Background information. General objectives of waste policy" (PDF). www.sustainabledevelopment.un.org. Retrieved May 10, 2024.
  2. ^ a b "How a Landfill Operates". www.co.cumberland.nc.us. Retrieved February 22, 2020.
  3. ^ "Alternative Daily Cover (ADC)". Archived from the original on June 5, 2012. Retrieved September 14, 2012.
  4. ^ a b Letcher, T.M.; Vallero, D.A., eds. (2019). Municipal Landfill, D. Vallero and G. Blight, pp. 235–249 in Waste: A Handbook for Management. Amsterdam, Netherlands and Boston MA, Print Book: Elsevier Academic Press. ISBN 9780128150603. 804 pages.
  5. ^ U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (2007) Landfill bioreactor performance: second interim report: outer loop recycling & disposal facility - Louisville, Kentucky, EPA/600/R-07/060
  6. ^ Weitz, Keith; Barlaz, Morton; Ranjithan, Ranji; Brill, Downey; Thorneloe, Susan; Ham, Robert (July 1999). "Life Cycle Management of Municipal Solid Waste". The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment. 4 (4): 195–201. Bibcode:1999IJLCA...4..195W. doi:10.1007/BF02979496. ISSN 0948-3349. S2CID 108698198.
  7. ^ US EPA, "Solid Waste Disposal Facility Criteria; Proposed Rule", Federal Register 53(168):33314–33422, 40 CFR Parts 257 and 258, US EPA, Washington, D.C., August 30 (1988a).
  8. ^ a b Themelis, Nickolas J., and Priscilla A. Ulloa. "Methane generation in landfills." Renewable Energy 32.7 (2007), 1243–1257
  9. ^ "CO2 101: Why is carbon dioxide bad?". Mother Nature Network. Retrieved November 30, 2016.
  10. ^ "How does landfill and litter affect our wildlife?". MY ZERO WASTE. January 30, 2009. Retrieved February 22, 2020.
  11. ^ "Landfills are Ruining Lives". www.cdenviro.com. Retrieved February 22, 2020.
  12. ^ Powell, Jon T.; Townsend, Timothy G.; Zimmerman, Julie B. (September 21, 2015). "Estimates of solid waste disposal rates and reduction targets for landfill gas emissions". Nature Climate Change. 6 (2): 162–165. doi:10.1038/nclimate2804.
  13. ^ "U.S. Landfills Are Getting a Second Life as Solar Farms". TIME. June 2, 2022.
  14. ^ "Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks | ontario.ca". www.ontario.ca.
  15. ^ "Aging Landfills: Ontario's Forgotten Polluterswork=Eco Issues". September 28, 2010. Archived from the original on September 28, 2010.
  16. ^ "CEWEP - The Confederation of European Waste-to-Energy Plants".
  17. ^ a b "Fighting Mountains Of Garbage: Here Is How Indian Cities Dealt With Landfill Crisis In 2018 | Swachh Year Ender". NDTV. December 31, 2018. Retrieved February 21, 2020.
  18. ^ Cassella, Carly (June 5, 2019). "India's 'Mount Everest' of Trash Is Growing So Fast, It Needs Aircraft Warning Lights". ScienceAlert. Retrieved February 21, 2020.
  19. ^ Horinko, Marianne, Cathryn Courtin. "Waste Management: A Half Century of Progress." EPA Alumni Association. March 2016.
  20. ^ "Modern landfills". Archived from the original on February 22, 2015. Retrieved February 21, 2015.
  21. ^ EPA, OSWER, ORCR, US (March 24, 2016). "Basic Information about Landfills". www.epa.gov. Retrieved March 14, 2017.cite web: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  22. ^ "Disposal and Storage of Polychlorinated Biphenyl (PCB) Waste". United States Environmental Protection Agency. August 19, 2015. Retrieved May 10, 2017.
  23. ^ Gomez, A.M.; Yannarell, A.C.; Sims, G.K.; Cadavid-Resterpoa, G.; Herrera, C.X.M. (2011). "Characterization of bacterial diversity at different depths in the Moravia Hill Landfill site at Medellín, Colombia". Soil Biology and Biochemistry. 43 (6): 1275–1284. Bibcode:2011SBiBi..43.1275G. doi:10.1016/j.soilbio.2011.02.018.
  24. ^ Gwyneth Dickey Zaikab (March 2011). "Marine microbes digest plastic". Nature. doi:10.1038/news.2011.191.
  25. ^ "Sinologie Spectrum". www.chinalize.nl. Archived from the original on December 8, 2009.
  26. ^ "Commercial exploitation of gas from landfills". Archived from the original on October 24, 2011. Retrieved November 28, 2009.
  27. ^ Qi, Shiyue; Chen, Ying; Wang, Xuexue; Yang, Yang; Teng, Jingjie; Wang, Yongming (March 2024). "Exploration and practice of "zero-waste city" in China". Circular Economy. 3 (1). doi:10.1016/j.cec.2024.100079.
  28. ^ "Regeringskansliets rättsdatabaser". rkrattsbaser.gov.se (in Swedish). Retrieved May 9, 2019.

Further reading

[edit]
[edit]

A landfill in Łubna, Poland in 1999

A landfill[a] is a site for the disposal of waste materials. It is the oldest and most common form of waste disposal, although the systematic burial of waste with daily, intermediate and final covers only began in the 1940s. In the past, waste was simply left in piles or thrown into pits (known in archeology as middens).

Landfills take up a lot of land and pose environmental risks. Some landfill sites are used for waste management purposes, such as temporary storage, consolidation and transfer, or for various stages of processing waste material, such as sorting, treatment, or recycling. Unless they are stabilized, landfills may undergo severe shaking or soil liquefaction of the ground during an earthquake. Once full, the area over a landfill site may be reclaimed for other uses.

Operations

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One of several landfills used by Dryden, Ontario, Canada
Garbage dumped in the middle of a road in Karachi, Pakistan

Operators of well-run landfills for non-hazardous waste meet predefined specifications by applying techniques to:[1]

  1. confine waste to as small an area as possible
  2. compact waste to reduce volume[2]

They can also cover waste (usually daily) with layers of soil or other types of material such as woodchips and fine particles.

During landfill operations, a scale or weighbridge may weigh waste collection vehicles on arrival and personnel may inspect loads for wastes that do not accord with the landfill's waste-acceptance criteria.[2] Afterward, the waste collection vehicles use the existing road network on their way to the tipping face or working front, where they unload their contents. After loads are deposited, compactors or bulldozers can spread and compact the waste on the working face. Before leaving the landfill boundaries, the waste collection vehicles may pass through a wheel-cleaning facility. If necessary, they return to the weighbridge for re-weighing without their load. The weighing process can assemble statistics on the daily incoming waste tonnage, which databases can retain for record keeping. In addition to trucks, some landfills may have equipment to handle railroad containers. The use of "rail-haul" permits landfills to be located at more remote sites, without the problems associated with many truck trips.

Typically, in the working face, the compacted waste is covered with soil or alternative materials daily. Alternative waste-cover materials include chipped wood or other "green waste",[3] several sprayed-on foam products, chemically "fixed" bio-solids, and temporary blankets. Blankets can be lifted into place at night and then removed the following day prior to waste placement. The space that is occupied daily by the compacted waste and the cover material is called a daily cell. Waste compaction is critical to extending the life of the landfill. Factors such as waste compressibility, waste-layer thickness and the number of passes of the compactor over the waste affect the waste densities.

Sanitary landfill life cycle

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Sanitary landfill diagram

The term landfill is usually shorthand for a municipal landfill or sanitary landfill. These facilities were first introduced early in the 20th century, but gained wide use in the 1960s and 1970s, in an effort to eliminate open dumps and other "unsanitary" waste disposal practices. The sanitary landfill is an engineered facility that separates and confines waste. Sanitary landfills are intended as biological reactors (bioreactors) in which microbes will break down complex organic waste into simpler, less toxic compounds over time. These reactors must be designed and operated according to regulatory standards and guidelines (See environmental engineering).

Usually, aerobic decomposition is the first stage by which wastes are broken down in a landfill. These are followed by four stages of anaerobic degradation. Usually, solid organic material in solid phase decays rapidly as larger organic molecules degrade into smaller molecules. These smaller organic molecules begin to dissolve and move to the liquid phase, followed by hydrolysis of these organic molecules, and the hydrolyzed compounds then undergo transformation and volatilization as carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4), with rest of the waste remaining in solid and liquid phases.

During the early phases, little material volume reaches the leachate, as the biodegradable organic matter of the waste undergoes a rapid decrease in volume. Meanwhile, the leachate's chemical oxygen demand increases with increasing concentrations of the more recalcitrant compounds compared to the more reactive compounds in the leachate. Successful conversion and stabilization of the waste depend on how well microbial populations function in syntrophy, i.e. an interaction of different populations to provide each other's nutritional needs.:[4]

The life cycle of a municipal landfill undergoes five distinct phases:[5][4]

Initial adjustment (Phase I)

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As the waste is placed in the landfill, the void spaces contain high volumes of molecular oxygen (O2). With added and compacted wastes, the O2 content of the landfill bioreactor strata gradually decreases. Microbial populations grow, density increases. Aerobic biodegradation dominates, i.e. the primary electron acceptor is O2.

Transition (Phase II)

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The O2 is rapidly degraded by the existing microbial populations. The decreasing O2 leads to less aerobic and more anaerobic conditions in the layers. The primary electron acceptors during transition are nitrates and sulphates since O2 is rapidly displaced by CO2 in the effluent gas.

Acid formation (Phase III)

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Hydrolysis of the biodegradable fraction of the solid waste begins in the acid formation phase, which leads to rapid accumulation of volatile fatty acids (VFAs) in the leachate. The increased organic acid content decreases the leachate pH from approximately 7.5 to 5.6. During this phase, the decomposition intermediate compounds like the VFAs contribute much chemical oxygen demand (COD). Long-chain volatile organic acids (VOAs) are converted to acetic acid (C2H4O2), CO2, and hydrogen gas (H2). High concentrations of VFAs increase both the biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and VOA concentrations, which initiates H2 production by fermentative bacteria, which stimulates the growth of H2-oxidizing bacteria. The H2 generation phase is relatively short because it is complete by the end of the acid formation phase. The increase in the biomass of acidogenic bacteria increases the amount of degradation of the waste material and consuming nutrients. Metals, which are generally more water-soluble at lower pH, may become more mobile during this phase, leading to increasing metal concentrations in the leachate.

Methane fermentation (Phase IV)

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The acid formation phase intermediary products (e.g., acetic, propionic, and butyric acids) are converted to CH4 and CO2 by methanogenic microorganisms. As VFAs are metabolized by the methanogens, the landfill water pH returns to neutrality. The leachate's organic strength, expressed as oxygen demand, decreases at a rapid rate with increases in CH4 and CO2 gas production. This is the longest decomposition phase.

Final maturation and stabilization (Phase V)

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The rate of microbiological activity slows during the last phase of waste decomposition as the supply of nutrients limits the chemical reactions, e.g. as bioavailable phosphorus becomes increasingly scarce. CH4 production almost completely disappears, with O2 and oxidized species gradually reappearing in the gas wells as O2 permeates downwardly from the troposphere. This transforms the oxidation–reduction potential (ORP) in the leachate toward oxidative processes. The residual organic materials may incrementally be converted to the gas phase, and as organic matter is composted; i.e. the organic matter is converted to humic-like compounds.[6]

Social and environmental impact

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Landfill operation in Hawaii. The area being filled is a single, well-defined "cell" and a protective landfill liner is in place (exposed on the left) to prevent contamination by leachates migrating downward through the underlying geological formation.

Landfills have the potential to cause a number of issues. Infrastructure disruption, such as damage to access roads by heavy vehicles, may occur. Pollution of local roads and watercourses from wheels on vehicles when they leave the landfill can be significant and can be mitigated by wheel washing systems. Pollution of the local environment, such as contamination of groundwater or aquifers or soil contamination may occur, as well.

Leachate

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When precipitation falls on open landfills, water percolates through the garbage and becomes contaminated with suspended and dissolved material, forming leachate. If this is not contained it can contaminate groundwater. All modern landfill sites use a combination of impermeable liners several metres thick, geologically stable sites and collection systems to contain and capture this leachate. It can then be treated and evaporated. Once a landfill site is full, it is sealed off to prevent precipitation ingress and new leachate formation. However, liners must have a lifespan, be it several hundred years or more. Eventually, any landfill liner could leak,[7] so the ground around landfills must be tested for leachate to prevent pollutants from contaminating groundwater.

Decomposition gases

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Rotting food and other decaying organic waste create decomposition gases, especially CO2 and CH4 from aerobic and anaerobic decomposition, respectively. Both processes occur simultaneously in different parts of a landfill. In addition to available O2, the fraction of gas constituents will vary, depending on the age of landfill, type of waste, moisture content and other factors. For example, the maximum amount of landfill gas produced can be illustrated a simplified net reaction of diethyl oxalate that accounts for these simultaneous reactions:[8]

4 C6H10O4 + 6 H2O → 13 CH4 + 11 CO2

On average, about half of the volumetric concentration of landfill gas is CH4 and slightly less than half is CO2. The gas also contains about 5% molecular nitrogen (N2), less than 1% hydrogen sulfide (H2S), and a low concentration of non-methane organic compounds (NMOC), about 2700 ppmv.[8]

Waste disposal in Athens, Greece

Landfill gases can seep out of the landfill and into the surrounding air and soil. Methane is a greenhouse gas, and is flammable and potentially explosive at certain concentrations, which makes it perfect for burning to generate electricity cleanly. Since decomposing plant matter and food waste only release carbon that has been captured from the atmosphere through photosynthesis, no new carbon enters the carbon cycle and the atmospheric concentration of CO2 is not affected. Carbon dioxide traps heat in the atmosphere, contributing to climate change.[9] In properly managed landfills, gas is collected and flared or recovered for landfill gas utilization.

Vectors

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Poorly run landfills may become nuisances because of vectors such as rats and flies which can spread infectious diseases. The occurrence of such vectors can be mitigated through the use of daily cover.

Other nuisances

[edit]
A group of wild elephants interacting with a trash dump in Sri Lanka

Other potential issues include wildlife disruption due to occupation of habitat[10] and animal health disruption caused by consuming waste from landfills,[11] dust, odor, noise pollution, and reduced local property values.

Landfill gas

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A gas flare produced by a landfill in Lake County, Ohio

Gases are produced in landfills due to the anaerobic digestion by microbes. In a properly managed landfill, this gas is collected and used. Its uses range from simple flaring to the landfill gas utilization and generation of electricity. Landfill gas monitoring alerts workers to the presence of a build-up of gases to a harmful level. In some countries, landfill gas recovery is extensive; in the United States, for example, more than 850 landfills have active landfill gas recovery systems.[12]

Solar landfill

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Solar arrays on a full landfill in Rehoboth, MA

A Solar landfill is a repurposed used landfill that is converted to a solar array solar farm.[13]

Regional practice

[edit]
A landfill in Perth, Western Australia
South East New Territories Landfill, Hong Kong

Canada

[edit]

Landfills in Canada are regulated by provincial environmental agencies and environmental protection legislation.[14] Older facilities tend to fall under current standards and are monitored for leaching.[15] Some former locations have been converted to parkland.

European Union

[edit]
The Rusko landfill in Oulu, Finland

In the European Union, individual states are obliged to enact legislation to comply with the requirements and obligations of the European Landfill Directive.

The majority of EU member states have laws banning or severely restricting the disposal of household trash via landfills.[16]

India

[edit]

Landfilling is currently the major method of municipal waste disposal in India. India also has Asia's largest dumping ground in Deonar, Mumbai.[17] However, issues frequently arise due to the alarming growth rate of landfills and poor management by authorities.[18] On and under surface fires have been commonly seen in the Indian landfills over the last few years.[17]

United Kingdom

[edit]

Landfilling practices in the UK have had to change in recent years to meet the challenges of the European Landfill Directive. The UK now imposes landfill tax upon biodegradable waste which is put into landfills. In addition to this the Landfill Allowance Trading Scheme has been established for local authorities to trade landfill quotas in England. A different system operates in Wales where authorities cannot 'trade' amongst themselves, but have allowances known as the Landfill Allowance Scheme.

United States

[edit]

U.S. landfills are regulated by each state's environmental agency, which establishes minimum guidelines; however, none of these standards may fall below those set by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).[19]

Permitting a landfill generally takes between five and seven years, costs millions of dollars and requires rigorous siting, engineering and environmental studies and demonstrations to ensure local environmental and safety concerns are satisfied.[20]

Types

[edit]

Microbial topics

[edit]

The status of a landfill's microbial community may determine its digestive efficiency.[23]

Bacteria that digest plastic have been found in landfills.[24]

Reclaiming materials

[edit]

One can treat landfills as a viable and abundant source of materials and energy. In the developing world, waste pickers often scavenge for still-usable materials. In commercial contexts, companies have also discovered landfill sites, and many[quantify] have begun harvesting materials and energy.[25] Well-known examples include gas-recovery facilities.[26] Other commercial facilities include waste incinerators which have built-in material recovery. This material recovery is possible through the use of filters (electro filter, active-carbon and potassium filter, quench, HCl-washer, SO2-washer, bottom ash-grating, etc.).

Alternatives

[edit]

In addition to waste reduction and recycling strategies, there are various alternatives to landfills, including waste-to-energy incineration, anaerobic digestion, composting, mechanical biological treatment, pyrolysis and plasma arc gasification. Depending on local economics and incentives, these can be made more financially attractive than landfills.

The goal of the zero waste concept is to minimize landfill volume.[27]

Restrictions

[edit]

Countries including Germany, Austria, Sweden,[28] Denmark, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Switzerland, have banned the disposal of untreated waste in landfills.[citation needed] In these countries, only certain hazardous wastes, fly ashes from incineration or the stabilized output of mechanical biological treatment plants may still be deposited.[citation needed]

See also

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ Also known as a tip, dump, rubbish tip, rubbish dump, garbage dump, trash dump, or dumping ground.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Waste Management. Background information. General objectives of waste policy" (PDF). www.sustainabledevelopment.un.org. Retrieved May 10, 2024.
  2. ^ a b "How a Landfill Operates". www.co.cumberland.nc.us. Retrieved February 22, 2020.
  3. ^ "Alternative Daily Cover (ADC)". Archived from the original on June 5, 2012. Retrieved September 14, 2012.
  4. ^ a b Letcher, T.M.; Vallero, D.A., eds. (2019). Municipal Landfill, D. Vallero and G. Blight, pp. 235–249 in Waste: A Handbook for Management. Amsterdam, Netherlands and Boston MA, Print Book: Elsevier Academic Press. ISBN 9780128150603. 804 pages.
  5. ^ U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (2007) Landfill bioreactor performance: second interim report: outer loop recycling & disposal facility - Louisville, Kentucky, EPA/600/R-07/060
  6. ^ Weitz, Keith; Barlaz, Morton; Ranjithan, Ranji; Brill, Downey; Thorneloe, Susan; Ham, Robert (July 1999). "Life Cycle Management of Municipal Solid Waste". The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment. 4 (4): 195–201. Bibcode:1999IJLCA...4..195W. doi:10.1007/BF02979496. ISSN 0948-3349. S2CID 108698198.
  7. ^ US EPA, "Solid Waste Disposal Facility Criteria; Proposed Rule", Federal Register 53(168):33314–33422, 40 CFR Parts 257 and 258, US EPA, Washington, D.C., August 30 (1988a).
  8. ^ a b Themelis, Nickolas J., and Priscilla A. Ulloa. "Methane generation in landfills." Renewable Energy 32.7 (2007), 1243–1257
  9. ^ "CO2 101: Why is carbon dioxide bad?". Mother Nature Network. Retrieved November 30, 2016.
  10. ^ "How does landfill and litter affect our wildlife?". MY ZERO WASTE. January 30, 2009. Retrieved February 22, 2020.
  11. ^ "Landfills are Ruining Lives". www.cdenviro.com. Retrieved February 22, 2020.
  12. ^ Powell, Jon T.; Townsend, Timothy G.; Zimmerman, Julie B. (September 21, 2015). "Estimates of solid waste disposal rates and reduction targets for landfill gas emissions". Nature Climate Change. 6 (2): 162–165. doi:10.1038/nclimate2804.
  13. ^ "U.S. Landfills Are Getting a Second Life as Solar Farms". TIME. June 2, 2022.
  14. ^ "Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks | ontario.ca". www.ontario.ca.
  15. ^ "Aging Landfills: Ontario's Forgotten Polluterswork=Eco Issues". September 28, 2010. Archived from the original on September 28, 2010.
  16. ^ "CEWEP - The Confederation of European Waste-to-Energy Plants".
  17. ^ a b "Fighting Mountains Of Garbage: Here Is How Indian Cities Dealt With Landfill Crisis In 2018 | Swachh Year Ender". NDTV. December 31, 2018. Retrieved February 21, 2020.
  18. ^ Cassella, Carly (June 5, 2019). "India's 'Mount Everest' of Trash Is Growing So Fast, It Needs Aircraft Warning Lights". ScienceAlert. Retrieved February 21, 2020.
  19. ^ Horinko, Marianne, Cathryn Courtin. "Waste Management: A Half Century of Progress." EPA Alumni Association. March 2016.
  20. ^ "Modern landfills". Archived from the original on February 22, 2015. Retrieved February 21, 2015.
  21. ^ EPA, OSWER, ORCR, US (March 24, 2016). "Basic Information about Landfills". www.epa.gov. Retrieved March 14, 2017.cite web: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  22. ^ "Disposal and Storage of Polychlorinated Biphenyl (PCB) Waste". United States Environmental Protection Agency. August 19, 2015. Retrieved May 10, 2017.
  23. ^ Gomez, A.M.; Yannarell, A.C.; Sims, G.K.; Cadavid-Resterpoa, G.; Herrera, C.X.M. (2011). "Characterization of bacterial diversity at different depths in the Moravia Hill Landfill site at Medellín, Colombia". Soil Biology and Biochemistry. 43 (6): 1275–1284. Bibcode:2011SBiBi..43.1275G. doi:10.1016/j.soilbio.2011.02.018.
  24. ^ Gwyneth Dickey Zaikab (March 2011). "Marine microbes digest plastic". Nature. doi:10.1038/news.2011.191.
  25. ^ "Sinologie Spectrum". www.chinalize.nl. Archived from the original on December 8, 2009.
  26. ^ "Commercial exploitation of gas from landfills". Archived from the original on October 24, 2011. Retrieved November 28, 2009.
  27. ^ Qi, Shiyue; Chen, Ying; Wang, Xuexue; Yang, Yang; Teng, Jingjie; Wang, Yongming (March 2024). "Exploration and practice of "zero-waste city" in China". Circular Economy. 3 (1). doi:10.1016/j.cec.2024.100079.
  28. ^ "Regeringskansliets rättsdatabaser". rkrattsbaser.gov.se (in Swedish). Retrieved May 9, 2019.

Further reading

[edit]
[edit]

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Driving Directions in New Hanover County


Driving Directions From Ruth's Kitchen to The Dumpo Junk Removal & Hauling
Driving Directions From Umaii Thai Restaurant to The Dumpo Junk Removal & Hauling
Driving Directions From El Arriero Taqueria 1 to The Dumpo Junk Removal & Hauling
Driving Directions From Cameron Art Museum to The Dumpo Junk Removal & Hauling
Driving Directions From Bluethenthal Wildflower Preserve to The Dumpo Junk Removal & Hauling
Driving Directions From Wilmington Riverwalk to The Dumpo Junk Removal & Hauling
Driving Directions From Wilmington Riverwalk to The Dumpo Junk Removal & Hauling

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Frequently Asked Questions

Community recycling centers must adhere to several key regulations, including proper sorting and handling of recyclables, ensuring safe storage and transportation methods, compliance with local zoning laws, obtaining necessary permits or licenses, adhering to health and safety standards for workers, and following guidelines for reporting and record-keeping as mandated by local or national environmental agencies.
To ensure compliance, community recycling centers implement strict operational protocols such as regular staff training on regulatory requirements, conducting routine audits and inspections to identify any non-compliance issues, using appropriate technology for efficient sorting and tracking of materials, maintaining transparent documentation practices for accountability purposes, and actively staying informed about updates or changes in relevant legislation.
Community recycling centers play a crucial role by serving as local hubs that facilitate the diversion of recyclable materials from landfills. They contribute significantly to meeting environmental targets set by waste management regulations through promoting resource recovery efforts. These centers also enhance public awareness about sustainable waste practices while providing infrastructure support for communities to participate effectively in recycling programs.