YOU may already know that your household garbage is taken by the garbage collection service to an approved waste deposit site. Here in Guyana, there are two kinds of waste disposal sites; one is a sanitary landfill site and the other a less sophisticated “dumpsite.”

A sanitary landfill is the ideal type of waste disposal site. It is well designed and managed and usually large in size. It is a popular type of waste disposal method in most countries, particularly for municipal waste which comes from households, city markets and shops/stores.

To prevent any liquid associated with the waste to leak down through the soil into the water table, landfills are designed with a layer of clay-like soil at the bottom, on top of which a synthetic (geo-textile) lining material is placed. Each layer of waste is then covered by soil which is compacted with heavy machinery to reduce trapped air and to allow the waste to decompose slowly to lower the release of odour and gas.
However, if landfills are not properly managed, they can pose risks to human health and the environment. Let’s take a look at some of these impacts.

Water Pollution: Liquid from rotting municipal waste is called “leachate.” This substance is rich in dissolved nitrates and other chemicals – a hazardous waste mixed with the rainwater. In inadequately designed and managed landfills the leachate can run off into drains and trenches (surface water) or filter down into the water table (ground water), which humans and animals use. Persons who unwittingly use water from these polluted sources can suffer serious illnesses, especially children and the elderly.

Noise: Use of heavy duty machinery such as compactors and bulldozers and the constant movement of large haulage trucks generate significant noise for the surrounding environment. This noise can affect people and animals e.g. birds, in proximity to such a facility.

Odour: Odour is a consequence of the biological breakdown process. To reduce waste in landfills pre-treatment needs to be done; however, the additional cost of this step results in the waste being untreated when it enters the landfill. As such, proper compaction and cover of waste are critical to control odour nuisance from landfill.

Fire: Methane gas is produced when waste breaks down in the presence of little or no air in landfills.This gas is explosive even at low concentrations and is a threat to the health and safety of the persons working or living near the landfill. Fires are pretty common and are difficult to extinguish and may smolder for many weeks at landfill sites. The burning generates smoke which can cause respiratory problems for persons in the immediate environment.

Vermin: The rapid development of vermin and birds on landfills is a serious problem, because insects, rats and birds are vectors of diseases and these critters eventually find themselves into our homes.
Most waste disposal methods have their advantages and disadvantages. Landfills are cheap to operate compared with other methods such as incineration and chemical treatment. However, they are not without their disadvantages despite upgrades in design and management techniques. It is still the case today that people generally steer away from living close to landfills because of the ills associated with them but also because they lower property value.

You can help to reduce the problems posed by landfills by practicing the 3Rs of waste management; Reduce, Reuse and Recycling. An excellent method of household recycling is composting; since most of the waste which ends up in the landfill and contributes to production of toxic gases are compostable items.

Share your ideas and questions by sending letters to: “Our Earth, Our Environment”, c/o EIT Division, Environmental Protection Agency, Ganges Street, Sophia, Georgetown.