Landfill Management: Challenges and Solutions

Landfill management is a critically important element of the solid waste (SWW) management system. In the context of increasing consumption, urbanization, and deepening environmental problems, this topic is becoming particularly relevant. Effective landfill management allows you to minimize the negative impact on the environment, ensure safety for public health, and create the prerequisites for the transition to a circular economy.
What is a landfill?

A landfill is a specially equipped area of land for the long-term disposal of solid household, industrial, or hazardous waste. Modern landfills must meet environmental, sanitary and engineering standards: have protective layers from leachate, a biogas collection system, a groundwater monitoring system, etc.
Main problems of landfills in Ukraine

Outdated infrastructure Some landfills have long exceeded the permissible accumulation volumes.

Environmental pollution
The lack of a sealed base leads to the ingress of toxic substances into groundwater, and the lack of gas collection systems leads to methane emissions, which contributes to climate change.

Fires and spontaneous combustion
As a result of chemical processes at landfills, fires can occur, which pose a threat to surrounding areas and cause toxic smoke.

Key areas of landfill management

• Inventory and condition assessment

The first step is to create a register of landfills and assess their technical condition, potential risks, and service life.

• Modernization and reclamation
  Existing landfills should be modernized with taking into account environmental standards. Old landfills that have exhausted their resource require reclamation - restoration of territories for safe further use.
• Monitoring and control
  It is necessary to implement systems for constant monitoring of air quality, groundwater and leachate, as well as control the volume and structure of waste entering the landfill.
• Reducing the amount of waste being buried
  This is possible by stimulating separate collection, sorting, composting of organic waste and the development of recycling enterprises.
• Using landfill gas
  Methane formed at landfills can be diverted and used as an energy source - this reduces greenhouse gas emissions and creates economic benefits.

THE COMPANY MANAGES TWO LARGE LANDFILLS: MALASHIVSKYY NEAR THE CITY OF TERNOPIL AND LONG-TERM QUARRIES NEAR ODESSA.

Conclusion

Effective management of waste landfills is not only a matter of ecology, but also of economy, health and national security. In the context of the transition to sustainable development, it is important to invest in the modernization of landfills, improving legislation and educational work with the population. The future lies in a closed cycle of waste management, where landfills will play a minimal role.