Planning, Siting, and Permitting of Landfills - Essay Example

Landfills Landfills A landfill is an engineered depression that offers connection between wastes and surrounding the environment (enjet.com n.d.). The composition of the fill is a bottommost liner, a leachate gathering system, a cover and a natural hydrogeological setting as a construction. It is valuable for long term usage as an infrastructure and environmental protection measure. The planning process involves analysis of various factors such as roads for the waste collection vehicles, types of the waste in the passage, the volume of waste and relating operations such as composting and sorting areas (Sawic Environment 1998).

To begin, the construction of a landfill site involves investment in infrastructure to facilitate environmental measures. However, there are particular steps in the construction of a landfill. The choice of the site is an important factor. There is the need to establish and formulate a joint solid waste management program that involves the landfill component, waste reduction, recycling and improved collection (UsAid 1999). Secondly, there is the need to review the land Use policy in the areas.

An official application should be submitted to the authority for the evaluation and choice of the potential site. Establish the feasibility of the project and an environmental analysis to assess the impact of the construction.There are also fatal flaws in the construction process of landfills. Position of the landfill is an important factor. The fatal flaw is the positioning of the landfill upstream and near the source of surface or ground water suitable for drinking and domestic use (UsAid 1999).

However, this is a public health hazard and results in the poisoning of the local citizens. The location on highly porous soil can cause erosion which results in environmental damage. Location next to the residential, commercial and industrial developments is also a fatal problem because of the increased cost of development.ReferencesEjnet.org. (n.d.). The basics of landfills. Retrieved on 20 Feb 2014 from http://www.ejnet.org/landfills/ [Accessed: 20 Feb 2014].Sawic Environment. (1998). Minimum requirements for waste disposal by landfill.

Retrieved on 20 Feb 2014 from http://sawic.environment.gov.za/documents/266.PDF UsAid. (1999). Preparing for a sanitary landfill: the first steps. Retrieved on 20 Feb 2014 from http://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/Pnadb351.pdf [Accessed: 20 Feb 2014].