Why Are All Types of Wastes Not Accepted in Landfills?

The purpose of landfills is to isolate waste from the environment, ensuring that harmful materials do not contaminate soil, water, or air. However, not all types of waste can be accepted in traditional landfills due to their hazardous nature. This article will discuss why certain materials are banned from landfills and the specific requirements for different types of waste.

The Top 10 Most Common Materials Banned from Landfills

Landfills are designed to handle certain types of waste, but for the safety of both the environment and public health, many common materials are banned. Here are the top 10 most common materials that are not accepted in landfills:

Car Batteries: These contain lead and other hazardous substances that can contaminate soil and water if not properly managed. Motor Oil: Used motor oil can be highly toxic and can contaminate soil and groundwater. It must be recycled or disposed of through specialized facilities. Tires: Tires can release harmful chemicals when they decompose and pose fire hazards. They must be disposed of at specialized tire recycling facilities. Liquid Waste: Non-dried paint, household cleaners, and other liquid waste must be properly solidified before disposal in landfills to prevent leaks and contamination. Untreated Medical Waste: This includes waste that has not been properly sterilized or treated, which can pose a serious health risk. Collapse Ray Tube (CRT) Screens, Monitors, and TVs: These contain hazardous substances like lead, which can be harmful to the environment. Products Containing Mercury: Mercury is highly toxic and must be disposed of at specialized facilities to prevent environmental contamination. Yard Waste: Dry grass clippings and leaves can be composted, but wet yard waste can contain harmful organic substances that must be properly managed. Computers: These contain electronic components and hazardous materials that must be recycled rather than disposed of in landfills. Nickel-Cadmium (NiCd) or Rechargeable Batteries: These contain toxic metals that can contaminate the environment if not properly handled.

Understanding the Hazards of Hazardous Materials

Unless specifically built for containment and licensed for hazardous materials, many common household items cannot be disposed of in regular landfills. For example, leftover paint should be allowed to totally dry and become solid before disposal. The key is to avoid mixing hazardous materials with general waste to prevent contamination.

Hazardous materials as defined by the EPA cannot be sent to household garbage landfills unless the landfill is also licensed and equipped to handle hazardous waste. Some other hazardous materials that may be found around the house include:

Empty containers of herbicides and insecticides (not the empty containers) Full cans of motor fuel Ammunition for firearms Used motor oil Fertilizers Refrigeration systems, such as air conditioners, refrigerators, and dehumidifiers

It is crucial to call a local waste removal company or government branch to ensure compliance with federal, state, and local regulations for proper disposal of hazardous materials.

The Role of Engineering Controls in Landfills

The purpose of a waste landfill is to isolate waste from the environment, with varying engineering controls depending on the waste's mobility and potential for contamination. Leachates, the dissolved components in water produced by buried waste, can cause severe environmental damage if not properly managed. These leachates can transport harmful contaminants into groundwater, surface waters, and even the air.

Before being accepted in landfills, some wastes require pre-treatment to solidify them or treat contaminated soils. Examples include oxidation of petroleum products with reagents, spreading to allow volatilization, and biological degradation.

For radioactive and hazardous wastes, specialized treatments and disposal methods are required. Low-level radioactive waste can be placed in hazardous waste landfills, while high-level radioactive materials require disposal in specialized areas, such as those managed by the Department of Energy.

Sanitary landfills, also called Subtitle D landfills in the U.S., have more relaxed requirements as they accept a mix of residential and commercial waste. While asbestos is generally not allowed, if special handling is done, it can be disposed of here. These landfills also contain small quantities of hazardous waste and can contaminate groundwater, although at lower levels than hazardous waste landfills.

Construction and demolition waste (CDD) landfills, including storm cleanup waste, are also more relaxed but should not contain significant quantities of hazardous waste. These landfills are primarily designed to manage debris and allow for chipping or mulching of wood waste.

Strip mining waste is managed under mining laws, and the primary hazards result from the oxidation of pyrites and other minerals that produce acid mine drainage.

The Importance of Recycling and Waste Reduction

Recycling is crucial to reduce the waste burden on landfills and reclaim valuable resources such as aluminum. The high cost of engineering controls in modern landfills makes waste reduction an economic necessity. Additionally, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) mandates the reduction of waste disposal, promoting further recycling and waste minimization efforts.

Electronic waste (e-scrap) and certain batteries contain heavy metals that require specialized recycling centers for recovery and disposal. These materials cannot be disposed of directly in landfills, which is why old CRT TVs and similar items are not accepted at standard landfills.

With proper handling and disposal methods, many types of waste can be managed safely, reducing the burden on our landfills and protecting the environment.