Essay - Literature Review Alternative Landfill Covers: Time for Revolution in Waste...

Literature Review

Alternative Landfill Covers: Time for Revolution in Waste Reclamation

Abstract

Even a cursory ex*****mination of the existing, recent literature on the subject of landfill covers reveals that conventional techniques are significantly flawed. High implementation costs combined with a questionable long-term track record means that ***** ***** covers are less than ideal. This author's review of the literature unearthed significant studies that demonstrate potential solutions to this issue in the form of alternative landfill covers. One of the most promis*****g new landfill ***** being developed is called the evapotranspiration, which harnesses rather ***** fights natural hydrologic cycles. It can be concluded that ***** technique, as well ***** some other alterative methods, has the real potential to become a viable alternative to ***** conventional landfill covers that are showing their age.

Keywords alternative, landfill, covers, *****, pollution, reclamation

Introduction

Clearly, the issue ***** waste management in the United States and the world is a signifi*****t one. ***** continues ***** pile higher every ye*****r, and landfills ***** filling up faster than ever (Albright et al. 71). When a landfill reaches its designated capacity, it is sealed and covered. In the past, th***** has meant the use of ra*****r conventional techniques. Usually, a l*****fill is lined with compacted clay before even ***** piece ***** garbage is dumped there. Then, when the landfill has been filled to capacity, the entire site ***** covered over. The purpose of all of this engineering is simple: reduce ***** environmental damage and impact of the ***** by lessening the degree ***** which pollutants and contaminants can leach from ***** site through the introduction of either groundwater or rain. ***** covers can be ***** or complex, but are designed with individual sites in mind to control moisture, percolation, promote runoff, minimize erosion, and meet aesthetic demands (EPA 1). In other words, ***** ***** covers are designed to act like enormous box lids over and already-sealed system to isolate the site from the environment.

*****, this contained ideal is rarely realized in pr*****ice. Conventional containment techniques, such as ***** clay layers or geotextile membranes, have the tendency to be breached. Clay will crack ***** membranes ***** tear. Over time, this means that conventional landfill techniques are incapable of providing anywhere close to 100% isolation of the landfill from the environment. ***** end-result is contamination of the surrounding environmental *****, especially via soil conditions and the local water table. Cleanup costs for contaminated ***** ***** in ***** United States are already amount to several billion dollars (Dwyer, "Finding" 58). These costs can only ***** expected to r*****e unless better cover methods can be devised ***** landfills.

Alternative systems have ***** ***** in an effort to provide better long-term functionality often at a fr*****ction of the cost. These alternative landfill cover methods generally eschew efforts to provide absolute *****, recognizing the absurdity of ***** a go*****l. Instead, *****se ***** systems are ***** to work on a site-specific basis ***** the local environmental *****. Contamination ***** the surrounding environment is reduced or