Waste Management
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- Landfill Monitoring
Landfill Design
Landfill design is a combination of regulatory approvals and environmental planning. The selection of a landfill site and a complimentary design is a comprehensive undertaking that can take several years. Once a site is chosen, detailed design is prepared, addressing cell phasing, waste contours, leachate collection / treatment, traffic routing, and ancillary operations such as composting, recycling / diversion facilities, maintenance shop and weigh scales. A well-designed site will save time and money in the long term, and make your landfill reflect positively on your community.
The Ministry of Environment, Conservation & Parks (MECP) requires that all landfills be designed and operated in accordance with Regulation 232/98 and Regulation 347 under the Environmental Protection Act.
Landfill design involves preparation of a detailed report that defines the landfill design (e.g., liner, leachate collection, methane gas control, site roads, waste fill area, buffers), operation (ground/surface water/leachate monitoring, on-site roads/structures) and closure (final cover design, surface water control, monitoring). The landfill design is documented in a detailed Design and Operations Report that is submitted to MECP for approval.
A detailed landfill design is required for all landfills in Ontario. It is required by the MECP in order to obtain approval for landfill operations. MECP issues a Certificate of Approval that specifies the detailed requirements for the construction, operation and closure of landfill.
Landfill design requires a fundamental understanding of the geologic and hydrogeologic setting of the site to understand how ground water and leachate will move and interact within the site. Design of the liner or natural attenuation system that will manage leachate generation and containment. It is critical to understand the site hydrogeology and the associated geology in order to design the leachate management system (liner with leachate collection and treatment, natural attenuation).
Azimuth has been successful in significantly extending the life of existing landfill sites by redesigning the landfill to increase the site capacity with the existing footprint or with a minor expansion. This approach is more cost effective and publicly acceptable than searching for a new site.
In most situations there is existing monitoring data that can be used to evaluate the hydrogeological impacts without undertaking additional studies.
Landfill design requires expertise in hydrogeology, engineering, hydrology, leachate characteristics, geochemistry, landfill operations and landfill closure. Azimuth environmental engineering and hydrogeological staff have extensive experience in these disciplines required for landfill design.
Landfill Monitoring
The purpose of landfill monitoring is to evaluate the actual impacts that a landfill is having on the natural environment. During site design, a series of predictions are made, and a design is selected that ensures that the landfill will not have a significant impact. Performance monitoring allows comparison of the predicted performance to the actual performance. If the actual impacts are greater than predicted, the site design or operations can be modified to protect the environment. While monitoring is traditionally associated with surface and ground water sampling, it can entail other less familiar forms of monitoring (i.e., biological / benthic monitoring).
The MECP requires that all private and publicly owned waste disposal sites monitor ground and surface water quality to ensure potential contaminants are not being transported off site and adversely impacting the adjacent properties. Water samples are taken usually three times per year from ground water monitoring wells located with and around the waste disposal area and from surface water bodies or watercourses in proximity to the landfill. The samples are analyzed by a certified laboratory using the Ontario Drinking Water Standards (ODWQS) as the standard the water quality should meet at the edge of the landfill contaminant attenuation zone established by MECP.
All landfills in Ontario require a Certificate of Approval issued by the MECP in order to receive waste for disposal. The Certificate of Approval specifies the landfill monitoring and reporting requirements for each landfill which are established during the approval process. The findings of the landfill monitoring are submitted to the Ministry of Environment, Conservation & Parks annually for their review to ensure the landfill is operating in accordance with the Certificate of Approval.
Once the ground and surface water sampling has been completed, a detailed review is completed of both current and historic data for the site. Azimuth uses this data to establish a Site Conceptual Model that defines how the site functions given its geologic and hydrogeologic setting. The conceptual model for the site and leachate conditions provide a fundamental understanding of how ground water and leachate move and interact at the site. A conceptual model can be formulated immediately based on existing information about the regional setting and site situation. This model will be refined as our understanding of the site grows and more data becomes available. A scientifically-defensible model enables us to undertake both the monitoring and any potential remediation actions in the most practical and cost-effective manner.
All landfill monitoring is done by our hydrogeology staff and reports are prepared and peer reviewed by qualified geoscientists.
