18-Env-A6 Solid Waste Engineering and Management · December 2017
Nivaar worked solution (AI-drafted; not reviewed by a licensed engineer)
Reference texts: Tchobanoglous, Theisen & Vigil, Integrated Solid Waste Management: Engineering Principles and Management Issues; Vesilind, Worrell & Reinhart, Solid Waste Engineering; Davis & Cornwell, Introduction to Environmental Engineering (6th ed.); Freeze & Cherry, Groundwater; CCME, Guidance Document on Landfill Gas Management; Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999.
Question text not reproduced: the examination questions are © Engineers and Geoscientists BC. Open the official past paper (linked at the top of this page) to read the question, then follow the worked solution below.
Five recognized general concerns with landfilling: (1) Groundwater and surface-water contamination from leachate migration if the liner/leachate-collection system underperforms or is absent (older sites). (2) Air quality and greenhouse-gas impact from landfill gas emissions (methane, trace VOCs, odour), including the explosion/asphyxiation hazards covered in Question 3. (3) Land consumption and siting difficulty — landfills require large contiguous areas with suitable geology, and public opposition (the "not in my backyard" effect addressed in Question 10) makes new siting increasingly difficult. (4) Long-term liability and cost — the multi-decade post-closure monitoring and financial-assurance obligation (Question 6) continues long after revenue from tipping fees stops. (5) Nuisance and secondary impacts — vector/pest attraction, windblown litter, truck traffic, noise, and visual impact on surrounding land use, along with the loss of future usable land due to long-term settlement.
