Sahrim Sayani – 230156156
2024-09-28
Assignment 1: Field Trip to Foothills
Regional Landfill
Q: What is a municipal sanitary landfill and what are some of the major design features of
such a facility? How does such a landfill differ from a “dump”?
A: A municipal sanitary landfill (MSL) is an area used for safe disposal of urban waste.
These modern facilities are often over-engineered to mitigate hazards with the environment
and/or society. One amazing feature they have are protective system liners often made
from natural clay but sometimes synthetically made to help keep everything in place.
MSLs differ from dumps in many ways. The most obvious and prevalent ones being the
safe, regulated manners in which they operate. From gas collection systems to leachate
collection, MSLs are much cleaner and a step in the right direction from the conventional
“dump”.
Q: What is meant by “controlled wastes”? Give some examples of controlled wastes that
are commonly received at the Foothills Landfill facility?
A: The term “controlled waste” refers to materials that require EXTRA care and/or special
handling to dispose of safely to avoid any harm to the public and the environment around
it.
Common examples the Foothills Regional Landfill receive include but aren’t limited to;
asbestos, contaminated soils, household hazardous waste (a.e. batteries or solvents), and
medical waste such as needles.
Sahrim Sayani – 230156156
2024-09-28
Q: What types of feedstocks are used in the Foothills composting process? What
conditions are optimized in order to provide for an efficient composting operation? How
so?
A: The Foothills composting process uses feedstocks like yard waste, food scraps,
agricultural residues, and wood chips. To ensure efficient composting a few regulations
need to be met, such as maintaining proper moisture levels, aerating the compost for
oxygen, controlling temperatures between 55-65°C to break down materials and kill
pathogens, as well as balancing the carbon-to-nitrogen ratio.
These adjustments help speed up decomposition and produce high-quality compost.
(Unfortunately, as this is a very specific process, there are bound to be errors on site such
as the piles of compost catching ablaze. This isn’t necessarily avoidable, however, the
team working at the foothills are very strict with their rules and all work together to ensure
smooth sailing. As of 2024-09-28, there have been no out of control issues there.)
Q: What greenhouse gases can be produced (and are generally monitored) at sanitary
landfills? How can the impacts of these gases on the environment be minimized?
A: When it comes to sanitary landfills, the production of both methane and carbon dioxide
are byproducts of decomposing organic waste. Methane, which is more potent and
dangerous than carbon dioxide does however pose many concerns.
To minimize the environmental impact of methane, these landfills use specialized gas
collection systems to capture and flare or convert the methane into useable energy. Proper
waste compaction and leachate management also help reduce gas production, while
composting the organic waste separately prevents methane generation overall at the
source.