Environmental Protection Measures

If inadequately designed and/or inadequately operated and maintained, a regional non-hazardous waste landfill could have negative impacts on the environment. These negative impacts are related to possible pollution of soil and water resources, generation of odors, waste littering, and nuisance from waste collection trucks, and health impacts from insects and airborne diseases.

In order to prevent such negative impacts, the following measures will be taken:

…with respect to daily operation procedures:

• Depositing follows a strict and systematic plan according to national and international standards for reducing the risk to the environment to a minimum. The key element of the filling plan is called ‘cell’ – an area that has usually a maximum size of 50 x 50 m. The cell is practically the place where waste is discharged from the trucks, piled up with a caterpillar, compacted with a special compactor, and then covered with soil on a daily basis. Depending on the amount of waste delivered daily, the cell will be filled up (2 to 3 m high) during a certain period (50 to 100 days) and then sealed permanently with additional final strata of soil and plants. Then a new cell will be started in direct continuation of the filled-up cell.

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…with respect to water resources:

• Leachate generated in the new landfill will be collected, diverted to a lined storage pond, and treated using a proven Reverse Osmosis system
• Groundwater is protected by a base ceiling system composed of impermeable layers to avoid infiltration of leachate on the ground
• The landfill has a drainage system to avoid runoff of contaminated surface water into the environment
• Water resources will be periodically monitored during operation to ensure the landfill protection measures are operating properly

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…with respect to odor:

• The new landfill is equipped with a gas collection and flaring system that will eliminate sources of odor
• Daily and intermediate soil covers will be placed on top of deposited wastes
• Odor-neutralizing sprays will be used if needed

…with respect to littering:

• Catch fencing and netting will be installed to trap windblown litter
• SWMCG will provide more frequent removal of littered wastes; frequency of occurrence of littering will be significantly reduced

…with respect to the transportation of waste (traffic):

• Large, long-distance trucks will be used to transfer the wastes to the site leading to a reduced number of trucks coming to the site every day
• Operation of long-distance trucks will be the responsibility of SWMCG and will transport wastes from transfer stations to the new landfill sites following strict speed limits and driving behavior rules
• Truck drivers will be trained and trucks will have hotlines for complaints

…with respect to capacity to operate the landfill:

• Training will be provided to SWMCG regional branch employees on the proper operation and maintenance of all the components of the new regional non-hazardous waste landfill.