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Research

Impacts of Waste

Excerpt from Zero Waste America
All Landfill Liners and Leachate Collection Systems Will Fail
"Even the best liner and leachate collection system will ultimately fail due to natural deterioration, and recent improvements in Municipal Solid Waste Landfill Facility (MSWLF) containment technologies suggest that releases may be delayed by many decades at some landfills."

A few of the facts:

  • The U.S. has 3,091 active landfills and over 10,000 old municipal landfills.
  • According to the 1997 U.S. Census, there are 39,044 general purpose local governments in the United States.
  • Municipal landfills and their leachate (water) and air emissions are hazardous.
  • 82% of surveyed landfill cells had leaks while 41% had a leak area of more than 1 square feet.

Go to: Zero Waste America for many more facts and related information.

Waste disposal sites, whether active or closed, can result in serious pollution of groundwater due to leachate.
When such household waste in landfill sites is acted on by rainwater, the organic and inorganic constituents are dissolved, and a highly toxic leachate results, collecting at the base of the landfill. This is normally high in heavy metals, ammonia, toxic organic compounds and pathogens. It also has a high BOD, and if it escapes into the groundwater serious contamination results.
Source: Investigating Rivers

Public concern about the use and disposal of hazardous chemicals has grown dramatically in recent years.
In 1976, Congress passed the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), which set up regulatory procedures governing generation, storage, transport, treatment and disposal of hazardous materials. There is, however, no regulation of household hazardous wastes, which must be taken care of by individuals.
Source: The Louisiana State University Agricultural Center (PDF)

Spray-All Research Documents

U.S. Air Pollutant Emissions Capacities:

  • Carbon
  • Sulfer Dioxide (coming soon)
  • Nitrogen Oxide (coming soon)
  • Other Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) (coming soon)

Additional Resources: