Experimental study on the change in soil properties due to dumping of organic solid wastes

Abstract

Urbanization and population growth leads to increase in solid waste generation. In order to maintain the environment clean, technique called open dumping is used widely to dump the waste material. Dumping waste in the soil has various effects which results in change in soil characteristics, generation of leachate and also affects the ground water quality. In this study, an attempt has been made to compare the properties of natural soil and waste dump soil. The collected sample has been tested for pH, chloride, electrical conductivity, hardness, alkalinity and acidity. In this experimental study, the collected soil sample was placed in a glass container to make visual inspection. The change in soil properties were investigated by dumping organic solid waste such as food waste, vegetable waste etc., on the soil surface. Test results showed that, the physic chemical and engineering properties of the soil had been changed due to contamination and the variation was not relevant since the study period was very less. Hence to predict the change in the property of contaminated soil, long term studied has to be made in the future and it has to be checked for its suitability to agricultural activities.