Landfill operation

Modern landfills are engineered to very high specifications and new landfills are uniquely designed taking local geology, watercourses and the existing landscape into account.

Landfills are often operated in a series of cells, each of which is engineered to include landfill gas and landfill leachate control systems. These systems are integrated within the landfill design which allows management of potential pollutants within the landfill site. As one cell is filled, the next is prepared to receive waste. Waste is added and compacted in consistent, even layers according to strict engineering requirements. Each layer is covered to ensure that the waste is safely contained within the appropriate cell. As each cell is completed, it is capped with a layer of clay that effectively seals the waste in the landfill. Further layers of soil are placed on top of the cap to provide suitable growing conditions allowing restoration of the landscape.