[GRRN] Solid Waste Management Information

Michele Raymond (michele@raymond.com)
Tue, 07 Sep 1999 12:45:08 -0400


>From: Gfredlee@aol.com
>Date: Mon, 6 Sep 1999 22:23:38 EDT
>Subject: Solid Waste Management Information=20
>To: Gfredlee@aol.com
>X-MIME-Autoconverted: from quoted-printable to 8bit by brap-2.cais.net id
WAA22159
>
> September 6, 1999
>
> Because of your interest in solid waste management and appropriate=20
>landfilling, I wish to bring to your attention a source of information on
the=20
>problems with today's "dry tomb" type landfills and approaches that can and=
=20
>should be taken to address these problems. Basically, today's plastic=20
>sheeting and compacted soil-lined landfills will, at best, only postpone=
for=20
>a relatively short period of time compared to the time that the wastes in
the=20
>landfill will be a threat, when groundwater pollution by the landfill=
wastes=20
>occurs.
>
> In 1988 the US EPA as part of promulgating the then proposed Subtitle D=
=20
>regulations stated in the Federal Register that ultimately all single=20
>composite-lined landfill liner systems will deteriorate and allow leakage=
of=20
>leachate through the liner into the underlying groundwater system The=20
>information that has been collected since that time strongly supports this=
=20
>conclusion.
>
> Further, it should be noted that the inherent rates of passage of=20
>chemical constituents and leachate by diffusion through this liner system
are=20
>sufficient to cause groundwater pollution even with an undeteriorated liner=
=20
>system. In addition, the groundwater monitoring programs that are being=20
>allowed under Subtitle D by the states and the US EPA are obviously=20
>fundamentally flawed and cannot detect leachate-polluted groundwaters at=
the=20
>point of compliance when the pollution first reaches this location as=20
>required by the regulations.
>
> Basically, today's society as a result of the US EPA's not adopting=20
>appropriate regulations for MSW management that recognizes the inherent=20
>fundamental flawed approach of using compacted soil and thin plastic
sheeting=20
>as liners is practicing solid waste disposal at initially cheaper than real=
=20
>costs. Not only does this approach eventually lead to Superfund sites at=
=20
>today's Subtitle D landfills, but it also seriously impairs the ability to=
=20
>develop appropriate waste recycling programs because of the artificially=
low=20
>cost of Subtitle D landfilling as it is typically being practiced today. =
=20
>Ultimately because of the high cost associated with groundwater pollution
and=20
>remediation, proper landfilling with maximized recycling will be cheaper
than=20
>Subtitle D landfilling as practiced today.
>
> These issues are discussed in several review papers available from our=
=20
>web site, (www.gfredlee.com). Also on our web site are detailed=
discussions=20
>of various topics pertinent to appropriate landfilling of wastes and the
need=20
>to maximize waste recycling and reuse. If you review this site and any of=
=20
>the papers and reports contained in it, and have questions or comments on=
=20
>them, please contact me. I would be happy to discuss them. If you know of=
=20
>other materials that should be considered as part of on-going efforts to=
try=20
>to improve the quality of municipal solid waste and industrial hazardous=20
>waste landfilling, please bring them to my attention.
>
>G. Fred Lee, PhD, PE, DEE
>____________________
>
>Water Quality and Solid & Hazardous Waste Landfills
>Evaluation and Management
>http://www.gfredlee.com
>
>Dr. G. Fred Lee and Dr. Anne Jones-Lee have prepared professional papers=
and=20
>reports on the various areas in which they are active in research and=20
>consulting including domestic water supply water quality, water and=20
>wastewater treatment, water pollution control, and the evaluation and=20
>management of the impacts of solid and hazardous wastes. Publications are=
=20
>available in the following areas:=20
>
>=95 Landfills and Groundwater Quality Protection=20
>
>=95 Water Quality Evaluation and Management for Wastewater Discharges, =
=20
>Stormwater Runoff, Ambient Waters and Pesticide Water Quality Management =
=20
>Issues=20
>
>=95 State Stormwater Quality Task Force Activities=20
>
>=95 Impact of Hazardous Chemicals -- Superfund, LEHR Superfund Site=
Reports=20
>
>=95 Contaminated Sediment -- Aquafund, BPTCP=20
>
>=95 Domestic Water Supply Water Quality=20
>
>=95 Excessive Fertilization/Eutrophication=20
>
>=95 Reuse of Reclaimed Wastewaters=20
>
>=95 Watershed Based Water Quality Management Programs:=20
> Sacramento River Watershed Program,
> Delta -- CALFED Program, and=20
> Upper Newport Bay Watershed Program
> San Joaquin River Watershed DO and OP Pesticide TMDL Programs
>
> Stormwater Runoff Water Quality Science/Engineering Newsletter
>
>For Further Information Contact:
>
>Dr. G. Fred Lee, PE, DEE
>G. Fred Lee & Associates
>27298 East El Macero Drive
>El Macero, California 95618-1005
>ph: (530) 753-9630
>fx: (530) 753-9956
>E-mail: gfredlee@aol.com
>
>
Michele Raymond
Publisher
Recycling Laws International/ State Recycling Laws Update
5111 Berwyn Rd. Ste 115 College Park, MD 20740)
301/345-4237 Fax 345-4768
http://www.raymond.com