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ENGINEERED LANDFILLS A SAFE METHOD OF DISPOSING

SOLID WASTES
BY
1. E.Rakesh Reddy,

2. B.Haritha Reddy,

Malla Reddy Engineering College,

Malla Reddy Engineering College,

E-mail: rakesh15794@gmail.com

E-mail: haritha4512@gmail.com

Contact no: 8885533242

contact no: 8712761061

Abstract : Disposal of solid waste is one of important aspect for any society. With the
continuous growth in population and rapid rate of increase in industrialization there is a
large concern about the method of safe and economical disposal of solid waste. Solid
wastes comes from various sources such as Industry, Mines, Domestic, Chemical industry
and Hospitals. Some wastes such as Mining waste and fly ash from thermal power
station are large is quantity by relatively less toxic. But the wastes generated by chemical
industry are toxic in nature. Very common waste available and being generated by all
individuals are domestic solid waste. The present methods of disposing domestic solid
wastes are un-safe.
This paper presents the sources of solid wastes and the present methods of disposing solid
wastes. Paper also discusses how the present methods of disposing solid waste
contaminate the ground waster. The concept of Engineered land fills are presented and a
comparison is made between the conventional land fills and the engineered land fills.

1.0 Introduction: Environmental protection is one of the important aspects of the

sustainable development. Environment includes air, water, soil and other natural
resources. Most of the studies are focused on air and surface water pollution. This paper
focuses on protecting soil and ground water for the present and future generations.

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There are a number of human activities which cause soil and ground water pollution
for example: use of pesticides in agricultural fields, leakage of under ground storage
tanks, leakage from pipelines that transport liquids such as sewer lines, unsafe methods of
disposing industrial and domestic solid wastes.
This study is focused as the existing methods of disposing solid waste in India and
pollution that is expected because of the present disposal methods. It is also discussed
about the design aspects engineered landfill, Which is a new and safe method of
disposing solid waste.
The paper is divided into seven sections. In section 2, sources of solid waste in
general and the amount of solid waste being generated in different cities in India are
presented. Section 3 presents the present methods of disposal of solid wastes. Section 4
discusses the causes of pollution due to the present method of disposing solid waste.
Section 5 presents the concept of engineered landfills. Section 6 presents the discussion
on comparative study of conventional landfill to the engineered landfill. Section 7
presents a set of conclusions and recommendations.

2.0 Sources of Solid Waste: There are a large number of developmental activities
generate substantial amount of solid waste. For example, waste due to mining activities,
agricultural activities, thermal power station, industrial wastes and domestic solid wastes
etc. Table 1 presents the details of quantities of solid waste generated in India in the late
1990s. (Gulhati and Datta, 2005)
Based on the details presented on central pollution control board website, as per 2001
census, the quantity of waste generated in major cities in India are presented in Table 2.

3.0 Present method of Disposing Solid Waste: Solid waste is transported to the
location of disposal in trucks, trains, ships or conveyor belts. At the point of disposal, it is
placed in depressions or low lying areas or it is stockpiled on flat ground in the form of
mound. In some cases, the waste is mixed with the water and transported through pipeline

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in the form of slurry. Such wastes are disposed off in ponds where the solids settle and
the water is decanted and re-circulated.
The numerous methods employed in disposing different types of solid
wastes are presented in Table 3.

TABLE 1 Quantities of solid waste generated in India in the late 1990s.

Sources

Approximate Quantity (Million Tons)

Per Year

MINING
AGRICULTURE
MUNICIPAL
CONSTUCTION AND DEMOLITION
THERMAL POWER PLANTS
BLAST FURNACE SLAG
METALLURGICAL SLAG
BY-PRODUCY GYPSUM
HAZARDOUS SOLID WASTE
SEWAGE SLUDGE

>1200
>300
26
10
80
11
11
10
5
3

TABLE 2 Quantity of waste generated in major cities in India

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Name of City

Population

Area

Waste

Waste

(Sq.Km)

Quantity

Generation

(Tons/Day)
GANGTOK
PORT BLAIR
SIMLA
GANDHINAG-AR
JAMMU
DEHRADUN
KOCHI
TIRUVANANTHAPURAM
CHANDIGARH
GUWAHATI
RANCHI
VISHAKHAPATNAM
VARANASI
PATNA
LUCKNOW
JAIPUR
PUNE
KANPUR
AHMEDABAD
HYDERABAD
BENGALURU
CHENNAI
KOLKATA
DELHI
GREATER MUMBAI

29,354
99,984
1,42,555
1,95,985
3,69,959
4,26,674
5,95,575
7,44,983
8,08,515
8,09,895
8,47,093
9,82,904
10,91,918
13,66,444
21,85,927
23,22,575
25,38,473
25,51,337
35,20,085
38,43,585
43,01,326
43,43,645
45,72,876
1,03,06,452
1,19,78,450

15
18
20
57
102
67
98
142
114
218
224
110
80
107
310
518
244
267
191
169
226
174
187
1483
437

13
76
39
44
215
131
400
171
326
166
208
584
425
511
475
904
1175
1100
1302
2187
1669
3036
2653
5922
5320

Rate
(Kg/c/day)
0.44
0.76
0.27
0.22
0.58
0.31
0.67
0.23
0.40
0.20
0.25
0.59
0.39
0.37
0.22
0.39
0.46
0.43
0.37
0.57
0.39
0.62
0.58
0.57
0.45

TABLE 3 Methods employed in disposing different types of solid wastes

SORCES OF SOLID WASTE
MINING
MUNICIPAL

DISPOSAL PRACTICE
IN PILES ADJACENT TO MINES
IN LOW LYING AREAS AROUND
URBAN CENTRES AND COVERED

CONSTRUCTION AND DEMOLITION

DAILY WITH SOIL

ALONG WITH MUNICIPAL SOLID
WASTE

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METALLURGICAL SLAG

IN LOW LYING AREAS OR ON

SEWAGE SLUDGE

MOUNDS ADJACENT TO INDUSTRY

SPREAD ON LAND ADJACENT TO

HAZARDOUS SOLID WASTE

SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANT

IN LOW LYING AREAS OR REMOTE

THERMAL POWER PLANT

DEGRADED LAND
TRANSPORTED AS SLURRY AND

MINING

DEPOSITED IN ASH PONDS

TRANSPORTED AS SLURRY AND

AGRICULTURAL

DEPOSITED IN TAILINGS PONDS

INCINERATED AND ASH SPREAD IN
FIELDS OR DUMPED IN LOW LYING
AREAS FOR MAKING COMPOST

The conventional method of disposing solid waste is making large holes in the
ground filled with the waste in layers and covered with dirt or soil. Originally designed to
reduce air pollution and unsightly trash that accompanied open dumping and burning,
lands fills became the disposal method for every conceivable type of waste. However,
most of them were poorly designed and are leaking liquids or leachates, which are
contaminating surrounding ground water. The Fig 1 shows the conventional landfill
design.

4.0 Causes of Pollution due to Conventional landfills: In conventional landfills

the solid wastes are dumped in alternative layers of solid waste and soil. The landfill is
then covered with inert material and the sites will be used for recreation places such as
parks. In rainy season, the rain water that seeps through the landfill generates
concentrated chemicals while passing through the waste which is known as leachates.
These leachates reach the bottom of the landfill and pass through the soil
layers below and contaminate the ground water as shown in Fig 2
Further solid wastes generate toxic gases due to decomposition of municipal solid waste
in landfills. Composition of the landfill gas depends strongly on the composition and age

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of the waste. Generally, landfill gas consists of approximately 50% methane and 50%
carbon dioxide. Trace amounts of oxygen and non-methane organic compounds may also
be present. (Sharma and Reddy, 2004)

Top Cover

Solid Waste
Soil Layer

Ground Water
Flow

Fig. 1 Conventional Landfill

Rain Water

Solid Waste
Soil
Contamination
Leachate

Ground Water
Flow

Water
Pollution

Fig. 2 Ground water Pollution Due to Conventional Landfill

There are several concerns with landfill gas:

1. Methane gas is highly combustible, making it a potential hazard in the landfill
environment or in structures on adjacent properties.
2. Landfill gas is capable of migrating significant distances through soil, thereby
increasing the risk of explosion and exposure. Serious accidents resulting in injury, loss
of life, and extensive property damage may occur where landfill conditions favor gas
migration.
3. As landfill gas is produced, the pressure gradient upward may create cracks and disrupt
the geomembrane in the landfill cover.
4. Methane gas is an asphyxiant to humans and animals in high concentration.
5. Migrating gas may cause adverse effects such as stress to vegetation, by lowering the
oxygen content of soil gas available in the root zone.
6. Gas is generated at landfills and vented to the atmosphere frequently emits nuisance
odors, causing annoyance to people residing nearby.
7. Methane gas, contributes to the possibility of global warming of Earths climate.

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8. Uncontrolled landfill gas is a loss of potential resources; instead, it can be satisfactory
fuel for a wide variety of applications.

5.0 Design Principles of Engineered Land Fills: An engineered landfill or

secured landfill is one which comprise of following components:
1. A liner system at the base and sides of the landfill which prevent infiltration of
leachate or gas into the surrounding soil,
2. A leachate collection arrangement at the base of the landfill from where leachate
is collected and transported to a leachate treatment plant,
3. A cover system at the top of the waste that prevents infiltration of rain water,
enhances surface water drainage, supports vegetation, and prevents leakage of
gas,
4. A gas collection system beneath the cover from where gas is collected to gas
treatment plant,
5. A surface water drainage system which channels all surface water away from the
landfill site,
6. An environmental monitoring system periodically analyzing the air, surface water,
ground water and soil gas samples from around the landfill, and
7. A post-closure plan for maintenance and utilization of the landfill after its
enclosure.
The gas collection system, is installed only when we expect that gas will be
generated, for example, when organic wastes suffer biodegradation or when volatile
organic compounds are present. Gas is not generated in dumps of inorganic waste.
Fig. 3 shows the components of an Engineered land fill.

Leachate
Treatment

Rain
Water

Leachate
Collection
System

Solid Waste

Protective
Cover

Drain

Ground Water
Flow

Fig. 3 Engineered Landfill

6.0 Comparison of Conventional Landfill to Engineered Landfill

The conventional landfills and the engineered landfills can be compared in three aspects:
1. Economical aspects
2. Environmental aspects
3. Feasibility aspects
Which are presented in Table 4
Table 4 Comparison Between Conventional and Engineered Landfills.
CONVENTIONAL LANDFILL
ENGINEERED LANDFILL
1. Since it is dumping of waste in a hole it
1. Since it involves engineering design and
is economical.
construction it is expensive when compared
to conventional landfill.
2. Conventional landfills are unplanned
2. This landfill is well designed for
which results in development of leachates
collection of leachate and toxic gases and
and harmful gases which pollute ground
hence controls and minimizes the pollution
water and air.
and hence results for sustainable
development.
3. These landfills do not require a detailed
3. These landfills require a detailed design
design and skilled construction techniques. and execution plan. It needs skilled
They can be constructed even at remote
construction techniques and continuous
places with unskilled labour.
monitoring during and after the execution.

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7.0 Conclusions and Suggestions

From the above information gathered and analyzed following set of conclusions
can be drawn in relate to the solid waste disposal methods:
1. Present method of dumping the solid waste in low lying areas without proper
protective layers results in ground water contamination and air pollution.
2. There is a need to bring the awareness in the society to reduce the solid waste
and causes of pollution due to solid waste.
3. The disposal of solid waste in engineered landfill is the solution in bringing
down the contamination due to the solid waste.
4. The engineered landfills are perfect but very expensive method of disposing
solid waste. Hence, a design of landfills with suitable modifications of
materials to bring down the cost and reasonably protect the environment.

References:
1. Gulhati, S.K.. and Datta. M. (2005) Geotechnical Engineering, Tata McGrahills
Publications, New Delhi.
2. Sharma. H. D. and Reddy, K.R. (2004), Geoenvironmental Engineering, John
Weley & Sons Publicationa, New Jersey, USA.

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From
E. Rakesh Reddy
Civil Engineering Student
Malla Reddy Engineering College
Dhulapally
Hyderabad

8th September 2011

To
The Convener
Techno FEST 2011
Guru Nanak Institutions of Technical Campus
Ibrahimpatnam
R.R, District
Hyderabad
Sir
Sub: Submission of a technical paper for the presentation in Techno Fest 2011 Reg.
I am here with enclosing a soft copy and hard copy of my Technical paper Titled
Engineered landfills a safe method of Disposing Solid wastes for Sustainable
Development to be included in Civil Engineering Presentations. I further request you to
communicate the acceptance of my paper for presentation and publication either to my
Email address: rakesh15794@gmail.com or to my residential address Given below, so
that I can register for the event.
My address for corresponding : Mr. E. Rakesh Reddy
S/O E. Saibaba Reddy
150 Kavuri Hills Phase II
Madhapur
Hyderabad.
Thanking you
Yours Sincerely

(E. Rakesh Reddy)