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SANITARY LANDFILL
DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION,
AND EVALUATION
This report (SW-88tsj was compiled by
MAXWELL J. WILCOMB
and
H. LANIER HICKMAN, JR.
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Solid Waste Management Office
1971
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For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U S Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402 - Price 30 cents
Stock Number 5502-0031
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FOREWORD
SANITARY LANDFILLING is an acceptable and recommended method
for ultimately disposing of solid wastes. The method has sometimes been
confused with waste disposal on open, burning dumps, but this is a
misconception. The sanitary landfill is an engineering project that requires
sound and detailed planning and specifications, careful construction, and
efficient operation. This publication is provided to help designers,
operators, and control agencies achieve and maintain good sanitary landfill
practices.
The sections on design and construction were developed jointly by the
National Solid Wastes Management Association and the Solid Waste
Management Office and were published in Sanitary Landfill Operation
Agreement and Recommended Standards for Sanitary Landfill Design and
Construction. They have been modified in this document. The evaluation
method was prepared by training specialists in the Solid Waste Manage-
ment Office.
-RICHARD D. VAUGHAN
Assistant Surgeon General
Acting Commissioner
Solid Waste Management Office
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SANITARY LANDFILL
DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION, AND EVALUATION
A sanitary landfill is an engineered method
in which solid wastes are disposed of by
spreading them in thin layers, compacting
them to the smallest practical volume, and
covering them with earth each day in a
manner that minimizes environmental pollu-
tion.
While it is possible to construct a sanitary
landfill on nearly all topographies, some land
formations are more difficult than others to
use. This makes each sanitary landfill some-
what different, and it would be impossible to
delineate the techniques required at every
potential site. The discussions in this
document are intended to cover those
features and procedures that are intrinsic to a
good sanitary landfill operation.
The recommendations in this document
suggest the basic requirements involved in
designing and constructing a sanitary landfill.
In addition, an evaluation method is provided
to enable the operator, designer, or control
agency to determine whether the site is
achieving a good operation. The evaluation
method is divided into two sections: the first
discusses those requirements that must be met
before a site can be called a sanitary landfill;
the second covers items that upgrade the
overall operation but must be judged in terms
of local requirements. The evaluation
procedure includes a checklist recommended
for field use by those familiar with the
evaluation.
The Solid Waste Management Office has
developed the evaluation method for the
express purpose of providing a tool that a
community, organization, consultant, official,
or citizen can use to judge the design and
construction of any site under consideration.
The use of this document no way guarantees
that good design and construction can be
achieved, but if the principles advanced are
understood and applied, good design and
construction will certainly be easier to attain.
SANITARY LANDFILL DESIGN
Site Location Requirements
The disposal site shall: (1) be easily access-
ible in any kind of weather to all vehicles
expected to use it; (2) safeguard against water
pollution originating from the disposed solid
waste; (3) safeguard against uncontrolled gas
movement originating from the disposed solid
waste; (4) have an adequate quantity of earth
cover material that is easily workable, com-
pactible, free of large objects that would
hinder compaction, and does not contain
organic matter of sufficient quantity and
distribution conducive to the harborage and
breeding of vectors; (5) conform with land
use planning of the area.
Site Design
The project plan shall include a general
location map and topographic map of the area
showing land use and zoning within 1/4 mile
of the solid waste disposal site. The topo-
graphic map shall be of such a scale that it
shows all homes, buildings, wells,
watercourses, dry runs, rock outcroppings,
roads, and other pertinent details.
The project plan shall also include a plot of
the site that shows dimensions, location of
soil or rock borings, proposed trenches or
original fill face, winter cover stock piles, and
fencing. Cross sections shall be included on
the plot plan or on separate sheets that
illustrate both the original ground and pro-
posed fill elevations. The scale of the plot
plan should not be greater than 200 feet per
inch.
A report shall accompany the plans regard-
ing; (1) population and area to be served; (2)
anticipated types, quantities, and sources of
solid wastes to be disposed of; (3) site
geology, hydrology, and soil conditions; (4)
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source and pertinent engineering properties of
cover material and the projected method of
protecting it for winter operations; (5) types
and numbers of equipment to be used for
excavating, earth moving, spreading, compact-
ing and other purposes; (6) persons respon-
sible for the actual operation and
maintenance of the site and intended operat-
ing procedures; (7) ultimate plan for the
completed site.
The design of the sanitary landfill shall
include one or more topographic maps at a
scale of not over 200 feet to the inch; contour
intervals shall not exceed 5 feet. The maps
shall show: the proposed fill area; any borrow
sections; access roads; grades for proper drain-
age of each lift required and a typical cross
section of a lift; special drainage and gas
control devices if necessary; fencing; equip-
ment shelter; existing and proposed utilities;
employee facilities; and all other pertinent
information to indicate clearly that the sani-
tary landfill will be developed, operated, and
completed in an orderly manner.
The sanitary landfill should be designed by
a registered professional engineer.
Operational Design Features
The disposal site shall be provided with
operational features and appurtenances
necessary to maintain a clean and orderly
operation; (1) control of access to the site by
fencing or other suitable means; (2) an
all-weather access road (if excessively bad
weather makes the working face inaccessible,
it may be necessary to provide a landfill area
near the entrance to the site; (3) suitable
devices, such as portable fences, for litter
control.
In addition to the required features, there
are others that are highly recommended: (1)
operational plans to direct and control the use
of the site; (2) signs indicating traffic flow,
hours of operation, and any charges for
disposal; (3) scales for weighing the solid
waste received (in a small operation periodic
weighing on public or other scales is accept-
able; (4) dust control methods (these may
require the use of chemicals, oils, or water
sprays); (5) communication devices for emer-
gency use and for operational control; (6)
electrical service for operations and repairs;
(7) fire protection and fire-fighting facilities
adequate to ensure the safety of employees
and provisions for dealing with accidental
burning of solid waste in the landfill; (8)
first-aid equipment and training.
Personnel and Personnel Facilities
In order to man and operate the site
adequately the following are recommended:
(1) a trained supervisor or foreman and
trained equipment operators; (2) a shelter for
employees to use during inclement weather;
(3) a potable water supply for landfill per-
sonnel and collection crews; (4) sanitary
toilets on or near the site; (5) training in the
proper and safe operation of all equipment.
Equipment
To assure safe and efficient operation the
following are required: (1) sufficient equip-
ment for spreading, compacting, and covering
operations; (2) arrangements whereby alter-
nate equipment is provided within 24 hours
following an equipment breakdown.
As a further aid, the following are recom-
mended: (1) safety devices on equipment to
shield and protect operators; (2) maintenance
and storage shelters.
SANITARY LANDFILL CONSTRUCTION
General
Certain operations must be carried out:
1. Access to the site must be controlled to
keep unauthorized persons out and to assist
the landfilling operation. (Access shall be
allowed only when an attendant is on duty
and only to authorized users.)
2. Burning of waste material shall be
prohibited.
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3. Blowing paper shall be controlled by
providing a portable fence near the working
area, and the entire area shall be policed at
least daily.
4. Salvaging and scavenging shall not be
allowed at the working face.
5. Provision shall be made to ensure that no
pollution of surface or ground water is
created.
6. Provisions shall be made for on-site
control of potential gas movement from the
landfill.
Other operations are strongly recom-
mended :
1. Operational records should be main-
tained daily. They should include the type,
weight, and volume of solid wastes received;
type and volume of cover material used; the
portion of the landfill used (determined by
cross section and survey); any deviations
made from the original plan of operation; and
equipment maintenance and cost records. A
monthly report should be prepared that
describes the amounts of solid waste received,
the area of the fill used, the volume of the fill
used, and the amount of the cover material
used. The report should be submitted to the
appropriate governmental agency. Cost
records should be maintained and should
conform to those recommended by the Solid
Waste Management Office in An Accounting
System for Sanitary Landfill Operations, U.S.
Public Health Service Publication No. 2007.
2. Upland surface drainage should be
diverted around the site to control infiltration
at the fill site and erosion of the in-place
cover material.
3. Conditions unfavorable for the habita-
tion and production of insects and rodents
should be maintained by carrying out sanitary
landfill operations promptly and system-
atically. It is recommended that the site be
inspected regularly by an independent pest
control firm and certified reports submitted
to the appropriate government agency.
Supplemental vector control measures should
be instituted when necessary. Domestic
animals should be excluded from the site, and
proper control measures should be used to
control wildlife, when necessary.
4. A detailed description and a plat of the
completed fill site (as built) should be
recorded with the proper local agency respon-
sible for maintaining titles and records of land
to provide notice to future users and owners
of the site. The detailed description should
include but not be limited to: type and
location of pollution controls, and original
and final terrain descriptions.
5. Continual training of personnel in the
proper operation of a sanitary landfill should
be provided.
Landfilling
Certain procedures are required during
land filling:
1. The working face shall be as small an
area as the equipment can safely and efficient-
ly operate in.
2. The solid waste shall be spread and
compacted in thin layers. In the construction
of each cell, it shall be spread into layers that
do not exceed 2 feet prior to compaction.
The number of layers incorporated into a cell
depends on the design and configuration of
the site.
3. All solid waste shall be covered daily
with at least 6 inches of compacted soil. Daily
cover has three main functions: to provide
insect and rodent control, to provide fire
breaks between cells, and to prevent exposure
and blowing of litter and to offer an aestheti-
cally pleasing site at the end of the working
day. The in-place cover must be maintained
until further filling or the addition of final
cover is made.
4. Final cover shall be applied to any
surface that represents the final grade of the
sanitary landfill; 2 feet of compacted soil is
required. Trees, shrubs, and other plants often
require more than two feet of soil to grow.
Suitable grasses should be planted to prevent
erosion and surface deterioration. Final cover
shall be placed over any completed section of
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the fill within 7 days following the placement
of solid waste within that portion.
Other procedures are recommended during
landfilling:
1. Supervision should be available to
coordinate all unloading activities.
2. Special provisions should be made for
vehicles being unloaded by hand so that the
flow of mechanically unloading vehicles is not
impaired.
3. Final cover should be graded to drain
surface run-off water. For this reason, it is
best to slightly overdesign initial grades so
that when settlement occurs, the surface will
be sufficient for good drainage. The top
surface should slope 2 to 4 percent, and the
side slopes should not be so steep as to cause
an erosion problem.
Special Waste Handling
Handling and disposing of waste sludges,
waste liquids, and hazardous materials shall be
given special consideration with regard to
water pollution and the health and safety of
employees. Large bulky items should be
reduced in volume before daily cover is
applied.
Supervision and Inspection
The following recommendations apply:
1. The supervisor of the operation should
be an individual who has had experience in
earthmoving, waste handling, and disposal.
2. Routine inspection and evaluation of
landfill operations should be made by a
representative of the appropriate regulatory
agency. A notice of any deficiencies, together
with any recommendations for their correc-
tion, should be provided to the owner or
agent responsible for the use of the land and
the appropriate individual or firm or govern-
mental agency responsible for the landfill
operation.
3. A representative of the appropriate
regulatory agency should inspect the com-
pleted sanitary landfill before the earth-
moving equipment is removed, and any
corrective work should be performed before
the landfill project is accepted as completed.
Arrangements should be made for all cracked,
eroded, and uneven areas in the final cover to
be repaired as required during the years
following completion of the fill.
SANITARY LANDFILL EVALUATION
This evaluation method is intended to
measure the level of acceptability of the
operations taking place at a disposal site, as
well as to provide an overall comparison of its
suitability to that of other evaluated sites.
The evaluation consists of two subsets of
evaluative criteria. The first subset comprises
10 Requirements, all of which must be
satisfied if the site is to qualify as a sanitary
landfill.
If the operation is a sanitary landfill, the
second subset (13 Recommended Items) is
provided to achieve a broader evaluation of
other features of sanitary landfill design and
construction. Operations vary due to size and
locality, and certain items may not be re-
quired. An exceptional sanitary landfill would
meet all Requirements and Items.
Each Requirement and Item in the evalua-
tion is followed by a statement of what is
needed to qualify, the reasoning for the
statement, and the criteria that must be met.
The sanitary landfill should be inspected in
detail in order to complete the evaluation. (A
suggested check list is included to aid in the
evaluation.) Some criteria will require that the
operator or supervisor answer certain ques-
tions, and precautions should be taken, there-
fore, to assure that the questions are
understood and that the answers are reliable.
If possible, written documentation should
support the answers.
Sanitary Landfill Requirements
Requirement A: Open Burning Prohibited.
No solid waste shall be burned at the sanitary
landfill.
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Basis: Open burning of solid waste creates
odors, air pollution, and fire and safety
hazards. It also adversely affects public
acceptance of the operation and proper loca-
tion of future sanitary landfill sites. Local
laws that allow or require the open burning of
such materials as diseased elm trees and
condemned dry foods are outmoded. Such
materials can either be incorporated within
the sanitary landfill or disposed of in such a
manner as to prevent health hazards or
nuisances. Open burning for any reason
converts the operation to that of the open
dump.
Open burning of solid waste on the site is
prohibited at all times. Yes_ No
Requirement B: Access Limited. Access to
a sanitary landfill shall be limited to those
times when an attendant is on duty and only
to those authorized to dispose of solid waste.
Basis: If public use is allowed when no
attendant is on duty, scavenging, burning, and
indiscriminate dumping commonly occur.
Men and equipment must then be diverted to
restore sanitary conditions. When access to
the site during operating hours is limited to
those authorized, traffic and other accident
hazards are minimized.
Access by unauthorized vehicles or pedes-
trians is controlled. Yes No
Requirement C: Spreading and Com-
pacting. Solid waste shall be spread in
uniform layers not over 2 feet thick prior to
compaction.
Basis: Successful operation and maximum
utilization of a sanitary landfill depend on
adequate compaction of the solid waste. In
addition, settlement will be excessive and
uneven if this is not done. Settlement permits
invasion by insects and rodents and severely
limits the usefulness of the finished area.
Compaction is best initiated by spreading
the solid waste evenly in shallow layers, and
better compaction is achieved if the working
face is operated on a slope. Further compac-
tion is provided by the repeated travel of
equipment over the layers and, if necessary,
by the use of special equipment.
Solid waste is properly spread and compacted.
Requirement D: Daily Cover. A uniform
compacted layer of at least 6 inches of
suitable earth cover shall be placed on all
exposed solid waste by the end of each
working day.
Basis: Daily covering is necessary to prevent
insect and rodent infestation, blowing litter,
fire hazards, an unsightly appearance, and to
control gas and water movement. Fly emer-
gence generally is prevented by 6 inches of
compacted soil. Daily covering also divides
the fill into "cells" that will limit any
underground fires that might occur. The cover
material should be easily workable and com-
pactible, should be free of large objects, and
should not contain organic matter of suffi-
cient quantity and distribution conducive to
the harborage and breeding of vectors.
A uniform, compacted layer of at least 6
inches of suitable earth cover is used for daily
cover. Yes _ No _
Requirement E: Final Cover. A uniform
layer of earth cover compacted to a minimum
depth of 2 feet shall be placed over the entire
covered surface of each portion of the final
lift. This shall be done not later than one
week following the placement of solid waste
within that portion.
Basis: A minimum final cover of 2 feet of
compacted suitable earth cover will prevent
emergence of insects from the compacted
solid waste, minimize the excape of odors,
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prevent rodents from burrowing, provide for
control of gas and water movement, support
plant growth, and provide an aesthetically
acceptable finished site. This cover also
provides an adequate bearing surface for
vehicles and is of sufficient thickness for
cover integrity in the event of settlement or
erosion. Workability and compaction
characteristics should at least equal those
provided for daily cover.
A minimum final cover of 2 feet of
compacted earth cover is used as stated.
Yes—No—
Requirement F: Environmental Protection.
The location and the operation must have the
approval of the appropriate governmental
agency, such as the State Department of
Health. There shall be no contamination of
ground or surface waters by deposited solid
wastes or their products of decomposition,
and no hazard or nuisance caused by gases or
other products generated by the biologically
or chemically active wastes.
Basis: Location, nature of the waste
deposited, and substandard operational pro-
cedures may lead to pollution of surface
waters or underground aquifers. Unless proper
standards of location and operations are
followed offensive and dangerous concentra-
tions of gases may occur in the soil or above
ground and adversely affect the environment.
It may be necessary to provide special con-
struction techniques or alter operations to
control such conditions.
Solid waste is placed so that the environment
is not and will not be adversely affected.
Yes_No
Requirement G: Blowing Litter Controlled.
Blowing litter shall be controlled by fencing
placed near the working area or by the use of
earth banks or natural barriers. The entire site
shall be policed at least daily. Unloading shall
be performed so as to minimize the scattering
of the solid waste.
Basis: The purpose of the sanitary landfill is
to dispose of solid waste in a nuisance-free
manner. If papers and other light materials are
scattered and the area is not policed, fire
hazards, nuisances, and unsightliness result.
Blowing litter is controlled and the site and
surrounding area routinely policed.
Yes—No^,
Requirement H: Salvage Prohibited. Sal-
vaging shall not be permitted at the working
face of the sanitary landfill. *
Basis: Nothing can be tolerated that interferes
with the prompt sanitary disposal of solid
waste. Salvaging at the working face delays
the filling operation and creates unsanitary
conditions. The accumulation of salvaged
materials also provides harborage for vectors
and promotes an unsightliness that can be
detrimental to public acceptance of the opera
tion.
Salvaging is never allowed at the working face.
Yes— No _
Requirement I: Operational Considera-
tions. Provision shall be made for all-weather
access roads leading to the disposal site, and
written provisions and guarantees shall be
made for the replacement of operating equip-
ment when it is down for more than 24 hours.
Basis: The purpose of a sanitary landfill is the
immediate disposal of solid waste, because
this results in the elimination of nuisances and
produces an aesthetically acceptable opera-
tion. A major breakdown of operating equip-
ment for more than 24 hours reverts the
*Any salvage or reclamation of solid waste materials must
take place in a systematic and controlled manner at some site
other than the operating area. If such a facility is physically
located on the same land plat or nearby, it should not be
considered part of the sanitary landfill operation.
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sanitary landfill operation to an open dump.
Access roads that are not negotiable by
collection vehicles cause unnecessary delays in
the disposal operation.
Sanitary landfills utilizing more than one
piece of equipment are normally able to
operate efficiently even if one piece of equip-
ment has a major breakdown because it may
have sufficient reserve capacity. Smaller
operations that involve only one piece of
equipment require some type of prior written
agreement that guarantees the equivalent of
standby equipment within 24 hours after any
major breakdown.
Heavy duty use of equipment requires that
a schedule of inspection and maintenance be
followed to keep it operational under normal
conditions (See Recommended Item 5).
Provisions have been made to assure all-
weather access roads and to guarantee the
equivalent of standby equipment within 24
hours following major breakdown to normal
operating equipment. Yes. No
Requirement J: Special Waste Handling.
Toxic, pathogenic, corrosive, flammable,
explosive, and other hazardous wastes shall be
handled only if special provisions are made.
Basis: Materials such as oil sludges, chemical
wastes, magnesium shavings, empty pesticide
containers, and contaminated medical wastes
can be a special hazard to employees and to
the environment if their presence is not
known or if they are improperly handled. The
site must also have special evaluations to
determine that there will be no adverse effects
on the environment.
Suitable procedures are established and
followed for disposal of special wastes or the
wastes are excluded. Yes No
Sanitary Landfill Recommended Items
ITEM I: Instructions for Users. Signs
should be posted that clearly indicate the
purpose of the operation, the owner or
operator of the site, hours of operation,
instructions for after-hours delivery, materials
accepted or excluded, fees charges, and emer-
gency telephone numbers.
Basis: The site is typically intended to include
use by the general public, and guidance must,
therefore, be given regarding the location and
purpose of the activity and its relationship to
the user. Proper use of the site is not
guaranteed, but instruction is an essential step
in gaining compliance.
A sanitary landfill may sometimes be called
a "land reclamation project" or something
similar but never a "dump," because this term
connotes an unacceptable operation. Provi-
sion of some method of storage, such as a
bulk container near the gate, is an added
service for the small hauler or householder
who arrives after hours. Persons arriving at the
site should quickly be able to determine if
their material will be accepted and if so, the
cost per unit (ton, cubic yard, etc.). If there
should be an emergency such as a fire, either
during or after working hours, or a person is
injured, clearly posted numbers will expedite
obtaining assistance.
Suitable informational and directional signing
is provided at the entrance and/or other
appropriate locations. Yes. Afo__
ITEM 2: Measuring Facilities. Provision
should be made for weighing or adequately
measuring all the solid waste delivered.
Basis: A suitable method of measuring
incoming or deposited solid waste is desirable
to provide a reliable quantity of data to
determine trends and to estimate needs. Esti-
mates of volumes based on truckloads rather
than weights are misleading. Weighing is the
best basis for establishing fees, and scales
should be required as an integral part of the
operation. Determination of the volume incre-
ments in deposited solid waste may be done
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by making periodic volumetric surveys; this
permits the use-rate and remaining capacity of
the site to be evaluated.
Suitable fixed or portable scales have been
installed and are used continuously, or the
sanitary landfill is routinely "cross-sectioned"
at least every 30 days to determine volumes in
place. Yes No
ITEM 3: Communications. Telephone or
radio communications should be provided.
Basis: Communications are desirable at the
generally remote sanitary landfill sites, in case
of emergency. If the sanitary landfill is part of
a combined collection and disposal system,
good communications will result in better
performance throughout the system.
Reliable communications are installed at the
site. Yes No
ITEM 4: Employee Facilities. Suitable
shelter and sanitary facilities should be pro-
vided for personnel.
Basis: Shelter should be available to em-
ployees during inclement weather, and toilet
and handwashing facilities are desirable.
Permanent or temporary shelter of adequate
size is provided along with safe drinking
water, sanitary handwashing and toilet facili-
ties, suitable heating facilities, screens, and
electricity (if needed). Yes No
ITEM 5: Equipment Maintenance. Pro-
vision should be made for routine mainten-
ance of equipment and for prompt repair or
replacement.
Basis: Equipment breakdowns of a day or
more result in the accumulation of uncovered
solid waste (as at an open dump) with all the
attendant health hazards and nuisances.
Systematic, routine maintenance of equip-
ment reduces repair costs, increases life
expectancy, and helps to prevent breakdowns.
In the event of a breakdown, prompt repair of
equipment will materially shorten down time.
Facilities for routine maintenance are avail-
able, and provisions for major maintenance
and repair have been made. Yes No
ITEM 6: Unloading Area and Working
Face. The unloading of the solid waste should
be controlled and restricted to an area where
the material can easily be incorporated into
the working face with the equipment avail-
able.
Basis: Proper operation requires systematic
placement of the solid waste in a restricted
unloading area. Unloading must be coordi-
nated with spreading and compacting. Con-
trolled unloading reduces work, conserves
landfill volume, permits better compaction,
minimizes scattering of solid waste, and
expedites unloading.
The type and size of the unloading area
depends on the amount of solid waste
received, the type of operation, and the size
of the working face. A large working face
increases the area to be compacted and
covered, with resulting high cost, delays, and
unnecessarily exposed solid waste.
Unloading is controlled at all times by signs or
a supervisor, and the size of the unloading
area is balanced with the size of the working
face to allow collection vehicles to unload
promptly. Yes No
ITEM 7: Fire Protection. Suitable measures
should be taken to prevent fires and to
control them if they start.
Basis: Fires endanger life and property.
Smoke and odors are nuisances to nearby
property owners, endanger disposal personnel,
and interfere with sanitary landfilling opera-
tions. Deliberate burning makes sanitary land-
fills almost the equivalent of open dumps.
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An adequate supply of hoses and of water
under suitable pressure is available or a
stockpile of earth is maintained reasonably
close to the working face of the fill to
smother fires; suitable fire extinguishers are
on all equipment and in all buildings. Yes
Basis: Excessive dust at the sanitary landfill
can slow down operations, cause accidents,
harm equipment, create aesthetic problems,
and lead to injuries.
Dust control measures are applied as needed.
ITEM 8: Bulky Waste Handling. Large or
bulky items, sewage solids or liquids (septic
tank or cesspool pumpings, sewage sludge,
and grit), and other materials that are hard to
manage should be disposed of only if special
provisions are made.
Basis: Sewage solids or liquids are hard to
handle, potentially infectious, and capable of
creating health hazards or nuisances if not
properly handled. When the sanitary landfill
design includes special provisions for the
disposal of such large or bulky items as car
bodies, refrigerators, water heaters, demoli-
tion wastes, tree stumps, logs and branches,
they need not be excluded.
Suitable procedures are established and
followed for disposal of hard-to-handle
materials. Yes _ No _
ITEM 9: Vector Control. Conditions
unfavorable for the production of insects and
rodents should be maintained by carrying out
routine operations promptly in a systematic
manner. Supplemental vector control
measures can be instituted if necessary.
Basis: Proper operation denies insects and
rodents food and harborage. Incoming solid
waste loads and a rural setting are, however,
natural environments for vectors. If any
appear, a supplemental vector control pro-
gram will quickly eliminate them.
Vector control is adequately provided.
ITEM 10: Dust Control. Suitable control
measures should be taken wherever dust is a
problem.
ITEM 11: Accident Prevention and Safety.
Employees should be instructed in the prin-
ciples of first aid and safety and in the
specific operational procedures necessary to
prevent accidents. An adequate stock of
first-aid supplies should be on hand.
Basis: The use of heavy earth-moving equip-
ment, the maneuvering of collection trucks
and other vehicles, and the infectious, explo-
sive, or flammable items that may be in solid
waste can create accident hazards. Since some
sites are in remote locations, it is particularly
important that personnel be oriented to
accident hazards, trained in first aid, and
provided first-aid supplies. For reasons of
safety, only those authorized to use the site
should have access to it.
Employees are given periodic safety training;
an adequate first-aid kit and at least one
employee trained in first-aid are available at
the site at all times. Yes _ No _
ITEM 12: Drainage and Grading. The entire
site should be graded or provided with drain-
age facilities to minimize runoff onto the
sanitary landfill, to prevent the erosion of
earth cover, and to drain rain water from trie-
surface of the sanitary landfill. The final
surface of the sanitary landfill should be
graded to a slope of at least one percent, but
no surface slope should be so steep as to cause
erosion of the cover. The surface drainage
should be consistent with the surrounding
area and should in no way adversely affect
proper drainage from adjacent land.
Basis: Runoff from lands adjacent to the site,
unless diverted, and rain falling on the surface
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of the site may percolate into the sanitary
landfill and contaminate either ground or
surface waters. Cover material may also be
removed by erosion, and standing water may
permit mosquitos to breed or interfere with
access, unloading, compacting, or placement
of cover. To have the sanitary landfill recog-
nized as an acceptable solid waste disposal
method, it is important that the complete
sanitary landfill blend with its surroundings
and not impair adjacent land usage.
The sanitary landfill is properly graded and
drained. Yes No
ITEM 13: Plan Development and Execu-
tion. A sanitary landfill should be planned
and designed by a qualified individual.
Planned use of the site following construction
should be an integral part of the planning,
design, and construction. A daily log should
be maintained by the supervisor to record
such operational information as type and
quantity of solid waste received, type and
volume of cover material used, the portion of
the site used, and deviations made from the
plans and specifications. A copy of the
original plans and specifications, a copy of the
daily log, and a plan of the completed
sanitary landfill should be filed with the local
governmental agency responsible for main-
taining titles to land.
Basis: Completed sanitary landfill sites are
ultimately utilized for a variety of purposes.
When the ultimate use of the site is known
beforehand, the operation can be planned so
that suitable building sites, roads, and utilities
can be provided. Final grades can be estab-
lished and allowances made for landscaping
and drainage. A record of the construction of
the sanitary landfill is necessary for the most
efficient utilization of the completed site and
for the prevention of health hazards or
nuisances.
Plans, record keeping, and reporting are
achieved as delineated above. Yes No—
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Sanitary Landfill Evaluation Checklist
Requirements No Yes
A. Open Burning Prohibited
B. Access Limited
C. Spreading and Compacting Accomplished
D. Daily Cover Applied
E. Final Cover Applied
F. Environmental Protection Provided .
G. Litter Control Provided
H. Salvage Prohibited
I. Operational Considerations
J. Special Waste Handling
Recommended Items
1. Operation Instructions for Users Provided
2. Measurement Provided
3. Communications Available
4. Employee Facilities Provided
5. Equipment Maintenance Facilities Provided
6. Unloading Area and Working Face Controlled
7. Fire Protection Provided
8. Bulky Waste Handling Provided
9. Vector Control Provided
10. Dust Control Provided
11. Accident Prevention and Safety Practiced
12. Drainage and Grading Provided
13. Planning, Development, and Plan Execution Provided
Remarks:
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