Landfill Waste Disposal

What Is a Landfill?

A landfill is a facility used for the disposal of solid waste, which can be hazardous or nonhazardous. Beyond complying with all relevant regulations, landfills are also designed to “protect the environment from contaminants,” and cannot be built in places where the environment may be at risk from their presence.

Before companies engage with landfill waste disposal services, they are encouraged by the EPA to find ways of reducing waste generation at the beginning of the process and to explore options for reducing toxicity. When recycling the waste is no longer an option, then landfills can be considered.

How do they work?

Landfills are subject to rigorous environmental regulation (through the RCRA) and come equipped with environmental monitoring systems that check for potential contamination issues. Before they are sealed, landfills are packed with layers of waste that are surrounded by rubber and clay barriers. After that, they are sealed under a plastic barrier that keeps liquids from seeping out of the landfill and into the ground.

The purpose of landfill waste disposal services is to store waste, not to break it down. However, wastes do decompose in landfills at a very slow pace and without oxygen. Because no oxygen is present, the bacteria breaking down the waste produce methane gas, which is flammable and dangerous underground. This gas is then collected by pipes installed above the solid waste and is released into the air without any refinements or is used for energy.

Commercially Relevant Types of Landfills

Industrial Waste Landfills

These types of landfills collect industrial waste that is not hazardous:

Construction and Demolition Debris (C&D) Landfills: This is for “debris generated during the construction, renovation and demolition of buildings, roads and bridges.” These types of landfills contain bulkier items.
Coal Combustion Residual Landfills: These landfills are used for coal ash.

Hazardous Waste Landfills

These landfills are used only for hazardous waste.

Polychlorinated Biphenyl (PCB) Landfills: PCBs are man-made chemicals with carbon, hydrogen, and chlorine atoms. They are regulated by the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA).
Hazardous Waste Landfills: Landfills for hazardous waste that is not PCB waste.

Regulations

As landfill waste disposal operations deal with solid waste that may sometimes be hazardous, they are regulated under RCRA Subtitles D (solid wastes), C (hazardous wastes), and TSCA. To learn more about managing industrial nonhazardous solid waste, see Subtitle D; for hazardous waste, see Subtitle C. All kinds of landfills are also subject to the Clean Air Act.

Clean Management and Landfilling

Clean Management Environmental Group offers cost–effective landfill waste disposal services for your hazardous and nonhazardous waste. Our extensive network of landfills nationwide allows us to offer these kinds of landfill applications: