Landfill emissions and their impact on the environment

Abstract

A modern landfill is an engineered method for depositing waste in specially constructed and protected cells on the land surface or in excavations into the land surface. Deposits the fact that in increasing amount of waste is reused, recycled or energetically valorised, landfills still play an important role in waste management strategies. The degradation of waste in the landfill results in the production of leachate and gases. These emissions are potentials threats to human health and to the quality of the environment. Landfill gas consist mainly of methane and CO2 (carbon dioxide), both important greenhouse gases. Landfill sites contribute 20% of the global anthropogenic methane emission. Furthermore, it usually contains a large number of other gases at low concentrations, some of which are toxic. Impact of landfills include risks for public health derived from surface or groundwater contamination by leachate, the diffusion of litter into the wider environment and inadequate on-site recycling activities.