Yes, modern landfills allow us to dispose of trash in a safe manner. To ensure that our garbage doesn’t harm the public health or the environment, today’s modern, state-of-the-art landfills are technically sophisticated and highly regulated. These landfills are commonly referred to as “municipal solid waste landfills” to distinguish them from the open dumps of the past. Unlike old dumps, modern landfills now have sophisticated protective liners, leachate collection systems, groundwater monitoring, gas collection equipment, and environmental reporting requirements. Modern landfills are well-engineered facilities subject to strict federal and state regulations for location, design, operating conditions, monitoring, closure, post-closure care, clean-up (if necessary) and financial assurance. The federal regulations were mandated by the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act and are called the Subtitle D standards. Some states choose to impose additional requirements that exceed the federal requirements or contain additional features that ensure protection of human health and the environment.
Archive for June, 2009
17
June
June