Landfills In Indiana

November 22, 2004

Dear City Council,

The purpose of this letter is to ensure that the City Council has the most current information regarding municipal landfills. This information is critical in our efforts to maintain the integrity of our city. As the mayor of this fine town, I feel it is my duty to keep the citizens of Sullivan up to date with the most current information with regards to our city; as such I have researched landfills and compiled my findings here for your consideration.

First and foremost, the construction of a new landfill is a decision which must not be entered into lightly. Many of our citizens may not even fully understand what a municipal landfill is, let alone the pros and cons of allowing the construction of one in our city. Most people, when thinking of something such as a landfill may envision what is more accurately called a dump. A dump is a place where people randomly and carelessly throw unwanted debris without regard to consequence. I, for one, would never allow a dump in Sullivan. Thankfully, there is a stark difference between a landfill and a dump and I would like to begin with a discussion of what a landfill is.

A landfill is a carefully designed cavity in the ground into which wastes are deposited. The design is implemented in such a manner that there is no connection between the waste and the environment surrounding the waste. The greatest focus of the design of a landfill is placed on the avoidance of any hydrologic connectivity between the waste and the environment, or, more precisely, the groundwater. Another highlight included in the careful design is that municipal landfills are specifically cared for so that odors do not permeate the area, and so that rodents and the like are not drawn.

Another important aspect of what a municipal landfill is would be what can be contained in it. According to the Indiana Department of Environmental Management, Municipal Solid Waste Landfills (MSWLFs) accept the majority of items that we commonly throw out and place on the curb for daily trash pickup, yard debris, construction/demolition materials, and some non-hazardous waste produced industrially. This definition is supported by Indiana's Title 329 IAC 10-2-115 "Municipal Solid Waste" and Title 329 IAC 10-2-116 "Municipal Solid Waste Landfill."

It is not uncommon for advocates of a landfill to claim that "no ill effects will occur as a result of the landfill" or that "the landfill will not pollute our natural resources." The citizens of Sullivan may have many reservations about allowing the construction of a municipal landfill in Sullivan County and these reservations are not without reason. There are many negative aspects to explore and understand prior to this undertaking. The downfalls of a municipal landfill include such areas as environmental pollution, aesthetics, and risks to public health.

Our greatest attention should be placed on the possible negative effects a landfill may have on our environment. Commonly the possible downfalls are grouped into the three areas of loose waste, methane, and leachate. First, loose waste is any debris that may be able to easily transport with the wind and must be carefully covered by the waste management facility in order to stop the transportation of the waste. This is an issue because loose waste is generally the waste which attracts much unwanted rodents. Second, methane is produced in large quantities at landfills due to the procedures used to contain the debris. Materials release methane as they are decomposing and the compaction that occurs in a landfill further increases the methane buildup. Methane buildup can lead to spontaneous combustion as well as the continuous release of displeasing odors in the area. Lustily, and by far the most feared pollution, is leachate. The primary concern with the pollution of the environment is with the preservation of the safety of our precious ground and surface water sources. Leachate is the prime suspect in the pollution of our water sources. It is a gooey substance that is produced when the waste materials are decomposing. Due to the sludgy wet nature of leachate, it is very easy for it to permeate and find its way into our groundwater . Unfortunately, there have been many important studies conducted which have proven that even though municipal landfills are not legally receiving materials determined to be hazardous that the leachate is nearly equally as dangerous as from a landfill that is specifically for the waste processing of hazardous materials.

Another great concern is the aesthetics, or the appearance of a landfill. Many people grimace at the thought of what it might look like to have a landfill in their backyard and rightfully so. One can just imagine dirty, unsightly trucks rumbling around at all hours of the day transporting foul smelling materials to and fro. Fortunately, with the proper planning this need not be an issue. The noise pollution caused by the trucks, the unsightly appearance of a 400-acre landfill, and the possibility of odors can all is controlled by passing the proper ordinances in order to limit these aesthetic sorts of disturbances. For example, it is well-known that property values tend to raise the farther away from a landfill the property is located so it would be wise to insure that the newly constructed landfill is not near a residentially zoned area.

As citizens it is our duty to ensure that the construction of this landsite is done to our specifications as well as to the federal guidelines. According to the Environmental Conservation Law, Article 27, we have the right to use our "police powers" to do just that.

The best way to avoid all of the downfalls above is to understand the best procedure for constructing a sanitary municipal landfill. In Indiana, Title 329 contains the majority of rules and regulations for the construction, proper design, and management of landfills. In addition, much of Indiana Title 329 is in unison with the federal Environmental Protection Agency guidelines.

Implementing the proper design in correlation with the Indiana laws would yield safe, worry free municipal landfill site. The best method for said construction is as follows in accordance with Indiana Title 329 IAC 10-17-2 (please see attached photo for a greater understanding of the necessary construction process). One can think of a landfill like dressing for a chilly day - in layers. The first layer must be three feet of an impermeable material such as clay. Impermeability is important as we previously discussed the importance of keeping leachate from entering our groundwater sources. The