title: A performance-based system for the long-term management of municipal waste landfills.
abstract: Landfills have been the dominant alternative for disposal of solid waste and there are tens of thousands of closed landfills throughout the world that require a long-term management strategy. In contrast to approaches based on time or target values, this paper describes a performance-based methodology for evaluation of post-closure care (PCC). Using the methodology, critical components of PCC at a landfill, including leachate and gas management, groundwater monitoring and cover integrity, are considered to determine whether a landfill meets defined conditions for functional stability and can transition from regulated PCC to a post-regulatory custodial care program representing de minimus care activities only. The methodology is predicated on understanding the biological, chemical, and physical behavior of a landfill and the presence of sufficient data to verify expected trends in landfill behavior. If an evaluation suggests that a change can be made to PCC, the landfill owner must perform confirmation monitoring and then surveillance monitoring at a decreasing frequency to verify that the change is protective of human health and the environment. A hypothetical case study showed that using the methodology to evaluate site-specific PCC requirements could result in increased environmental protection at comparable cost by spending available funds where they are most needed.
authors.affiliation: Geosyntec Consultants, 10220 Old Columbia Road, Suite A, Columbia, MD 21046, United States. jmorris@geosyntec.com
authors.forename: Jeremy W F
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Morris
authors.forename: Morton A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Barlaz
mesh_terms: D002947:Cities; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D012037:Refuse Disposal / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods*; D013997:Time Factors; D014866:Waste Products / Q000032:analysis* / Q000145:classification / Q000191:economics
chemical_list: D014866:Waste Products