Question

What are landfills?

Describe landfills.

Answer 1

1. Landfilling is a method of waste disposal that includes the burying of wastes at a site called a landfill.
2. It can be defined as "a method of disposing of the refuse, on land, without creating nuisance or hazards to public health or safety, by utilizing the principles of engineering, to confine the refuse to the smallest practical volume and to cover it with a layer of earth, at the conclusion of each day's operation or at such more frequent intervals as may be necessary."
3. Among different methods of waste disposal, landfill is the most commonly used method for the disposal of waste on land.
4. In landfills, the waste gets decomposed by physical, chemical, and biological reactions.
5. Different gases, such as methane, carbon dioxide, ammonia, hydrogen sulphide, etc., are produced when the waste is decomposed.
6. To prevent insects or rodents from entering the landfill, the dumping area is covered with layers of earth.
7. In a modern landfill, refuse is spread in thin, compact layers, covered by a layer of clean earth.
8. Pollution of surface water and groundwater is minimized by lining and contouring the fill, compacting and planting the uppermost cover layer, diverting drainage, and selecting proper soil in sites not subject to flooding or high groundwater levels.
9. Materials disposed of in a landfill can be further secured from leakage by solidifying them in materials such as cement, fly ash from power plants, asphalt, or organic polymers.