The history and standards of landfills

Have you ever wondered what happens to the trash that gets thrown in the garbage every day?  An increase in the recycling industry reduced the amounts of trash or Municipal Solid Waste produced in recent years, however Americans still generated 251 tons of solid waste in 2012.  There are several ways to dispose of waste, but the vast majority winds up in a landfill to naturally decompose.  It might seem like a fairly simple process, but what started out as a process of burning trash, has turned into a very innovative and sophisticated science.

            Trash was never thought of to be a problem, for a long time the phrase “out of sight, out of mind” was used in regards to solid waste and it was disposed of by any means necessary. Following the end of World War 2 there was a need to change traditional practices.  This included dumping trash in the ocean and allowing scavengers and pigs to sort through the remaining garbage.  Afterwards it was pushed into a pile and set on fire to be disposed of. In 1953 suggested guidelines were set in place to prevent illnesses from the open burning.  This was a revolutionary development in trash disposal that replaced the burning process with a self-contained burial system.  While this system was far from perfect it was a great deviation from previous methods.  This process solved the immediate issue of illness, but still posed a great threat to the surrounding communities from pests, harmful leachate seeping into the groundwater, and explosive gas being produced.

            With time passing the U.S. Public health service did as much as it could to make progress with trash disposal techniques.  In 1965 the Solid Waste Disposal Act convinced many states to establish laws when it came to landfills in an effort to avoid harm to the surrounding environment.  Awareness was building when it came to landfills, but even with the development of the EPA in 1970 efforts were mainly focused on regulating other waste management techniques.  Finally in 1984, (only 20 years ago!) the EPA was granted authority to regulate sanitary landfills with a very strict set of design and maintenance regulations that maximize the disposal efficiency.  With fifty years of combined ideas there were extensive lists of guidelines that sanitary landfills were required to adhere to.

            Since 1984 there have been advancements in the waste management field, some of which can even produce energy from the gasses produced during decomposition.  Environmental engineering has extensively expanded in such a way that the time of deterioration can be calculated and redevelopment can occur on the land in the future.  On the EPA website many of the new rules are showcased for public viewing so that it is known what restrictions Landfills may face.  Clay layers, a waterproof geomembrane, gas monitors, leachate removal systems, and groundwater monitoring are all mandated in today’s standards for landfills along with strict operating procedures to ensure safety.  It may not be rocket science, but standards are the basis of solid waste management, and will continue to be as long as humans produce waste.

Sources:

http://www.epa.gov/osw/nonhaz/municipal/landfill.htm

http://www.mswmanagement.com/MSW/Articles/A_Brief_History_of_Solid_Waste_Mangement_in_the_US_4437.aspx