Sanitary Landfill Management

Questions

1. Define and describe the components of domestic refuse.

2. Prior to the 1960s, how was most domestic refuse disposed of?

3. Why was this practice terminated?

4. What practice, for the most part, took its place?

5. Describe the landfill procedure.

6. When landfills were first introduced, few precautions were taken to prevent environmental impacts. Derscribe how the following side effects result:

      a) contamination of groundwater

      b) methane production

      c) land subsidence

7. Modern landfills are designed, constructed and maintained to minimize environmental impacts. Describe the features that accomplish each of the following:

      a) protection of groundwater

      b) leachate treatment

      c) venting of biogas

      d) minimize infiltration into and maximize runoff from completed landfill

      e) avoidance of pond formation

      f) assurance of maintaining groundwater quality

8. Even with modern advances, the sanitary landfill is not the best solution to the MSW problem. Why not? What are some problems that still remain?