Landfill Impact Assessment

I was just reading Landfill Impact Assessment report.  The report went to great lengths evaluating dust, noise, landfill gas, and odours.  It included a brief discussion on litter impact.  The study effort included a great deal of work using dispersion models that used climate and wind data, topography and so on to determine what impact, if any, there would be on nearby receptors.   The authors took great efforts to determine waste quantities for the next 35 years, modelled landfill gas emissions, conducted traffic flow assessments, and measured odour emissions from the existing landfill



The Blowing Litter Impact Assessment reported the following information:

Distance from landfill perimeter	Finding	Impact category
0 - 500m	50% of escaping litter remains in this area	Medium
500 – 1000 m	Remaining 50% retained in this area	Low
Beyond 1000 m	Very little escapes beyond this distance	None

This information was said to have been taken from a 'previous report' by RWDI (2002).  I did an internet search in an attempt to find the original source of this information, but was unsuccessful (so far).  I could not determine if this referenced report was related to the existing landfill at this location.  


A second table that was referenced to RWDI (2002) is said to be a study conducted in wind tunnels on "threshold speeds for various categories of wind-blown litter".   Again, I tried to find the original source of this information, so I don't know how this study was done.  Did it replicate waste in a pile, or did it replicate waste dropping from an unloading vehicle?  I would assume that we would see different results between the two scenarios. 

Wind speed range	Litter description	Impact category
0 – 22 km/h	No blowing litter	None
22 – 33 km/h	Newsprint, tissue, paper towel, some light bond paper	Light
33 – 47 km/h	All the above plus plastic bags, small boxes, small cardboard tubes, paper bags, plastic sheets.	Moderate
Above 47 km/h	All the above plus extensive heavy bond paper	heavy

The authors of the report suggested that the average annual wind speed 10 metres above the ground is 8.6 km/hr, and that it would be about 2.3 km/hr at the 2 metre level.  The authors then concluded that for the majority of wind velocities at the landfill, blowing litter would not occur.  This conclusion was based on the following table.

Table L2.34 - Frequency of Occurrence of Blowing Litter with Wind Speed
Speed range km/h	Annual frequency (%)
0 – 22	94.0
22 – 33	5.8
33 – 47	0.2
47+	<0.1

One can see if you connect all the dots using this information, you would come to a similar conclusion.    The authors further concluded that because most of the landfill operations will be below ground, this would further reduce wind-blown litter.   Recommendations suggested the litter mitigation should include, covering waste haul vehicles, daily cover of the working face, portable wind fences, improving vegetated lands buffering the landfill, educate the public about plastic bags, regular inspections and litter clean up. 


This evaluation is probably fairly typical of impact assessment studies. Litter issues usually don't get the same level of effort as other 'emissions' from landfills, even though litter is probably the most visible immission.  This may be because it is assumed that litter controls are very basic, such as cover, fencing, and cleaning up, that there's little need to do a complete evaluation.  Granted, because litter is visible and accessible, it is easier to respond to that a groundwater or gaseous emission impact.   I do think that landfill planners and engineers do need to give more attention to litter control and prevention.  They usually leave that up to the landfill manager and operators.   


I will admit, there may be more information available on specific litter controls in detailed operation plans.  At this time, I don't have that information. 


You can see the original report by going to the following link. 


https://muskoka.civicweb.net/Documents/DocumentDisplay.aspx?ID=5002

Landfill Litter Management

Here I'll summarize some basic techniques for managing, or controlling, litter at landfills.

1.   Develop a Litter Management Plan

Prepare a written plan that describes the litter management programs for your landfill.  This plan should outline bylaws or ordinances and how enforcement is done.  The plan should include policies and procedures for managing improperly contained waste loads.  It should include procedures for directing customers on-site and describe operating procedures for site litter controls.   With this plan, you should identify how you will monitor the effectiveness of the litter controls and you should include a practical response plan for litter clean-up. 

2.   Present a professional image.  

If you maintain a pleasing appearance at your landfill, you gain a greater degree of cooperation of your customers.  They will appreciate the effort to keep a site clean and are far more likely to take more care in how they transport their own loads are are far more likely to pay attention to site rules and site staff directions.  This can help your operation in more ways that just litter control, but it is an important piece of a litter management program.



3.   Cover

Cover includes cover of waste transporting vehicles and cover of waste disposed in the landfill.  Waste loads should be secured, tarped, or enclosed to prevent litter along roads leading to the landfill and along the landfill site roads.  This generally requires cooperation of legal enforcement agencies to be effective. 

Waste that is deposited at the landfill should be covered within practical reason to minimize exposure of the waste to wind. 

4.  Shelter to Prevent Wind-Blown Litter

An active working face that is sheltered from wind will minimize the amount of wind blown litter.   Shelter can be provided using natural wind breaks such as tree cover and sometimes topographical features.   Using portable wind-breaks placed on the upwind side of an active working face has also proven to be effective in reducing the speed of wind, thus reducing the amount of blowing litter. 

5.  Catch Litter

Most landfills use a variety of litter 'catch' fences to trap litter so that it doesn't escape the landfill.  This can include portable fences placed around the active working face,  temporary intermediate fencing placed through the landfill property, and perimeter fences at the site property lines.  




6.   Retrieve Litter

With effective litter control fences and operation procedures, there will be times when litter still escapes the active landfill area, or the landfill property.   The litter program MUST include a retrieval or clean up program in a timely way so that any fugitive litter does not collect for any unacceptable length of time.