CA2082293A1 - In place stabilization of pre-existing landfills - Google Patents
In place stabilization of pre-existing landfillsInfo
- Publication number
- CA2082293A1 CA2082293A1 CA002082293A CA2082293A CA2082293A1 CA 2082293 A1 CA2082293 A1 CA 2082293A1 CA 002082293 A CA002082293 A CA 002082293A CA 2082293 A CA2082293 A CA 2082293A CA 2082293 A1 CA2082293 A1 CA 2082293A1
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- process according
- materials
- decomposable
- moistening
- mixing
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
Links
Classifications
-
- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C05—FERTILISERS; MANUFACTURE THEREOF
- C05F—ORGANIC FERTILISERS NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C05B, C05C, e.g. FERTILISERS FROM WASTE OR REFUSE
- C05F17/00—Preparation of fertilisers characterised by biological or biochemical treatment steps, e.g. composting or fermentation
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B09—DISPOSAL OF SOLID WASTE; RECLAMATION OF CONTAMINATED SOIL
- B09B—DISPOSAL OF SOLID WASTE
- B09B1/00—Dumping solid waste
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
- Y02P—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS
- Y02P20/00—Technologies relating to chemical industry
- Y02P20/141—Feedstock
- Y02P20/145—Feedstock the feedstock being materials of biological origin
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
- Y02W—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO WASTEWATER TREATMENT OR WASTE MANAGEMENT
- Y02W30/00—Technologies for solid waste management
- Y02W30/40—Bio-organic fraction processing; Production of fertilisers from the organic fraction of waste or refuse
Abstract
A process for reducing the volume of decomposable materials by mixing the decomposable materials, aerating the decomposable materials, moistening the decomposable material, the mixing, aerating, and moistening steps occurring on a periodic basis and in a preselected sequence.
Description
2~8~2~3 ~ E OF TH~ I~VENTION
I~ PLaCB 8~BI~IZATION OF PR~ XI8TI~ LANDFI~
~CR~RO~D O~ ~B INVE~O~
The problems of waste management have been well docume.nted. Our society is experiencing a crisis due to the closing of our landfills, as they are filled to capacity. For various reasons, the opening of new landfill sites is not a viable alternative. The unpleasant odors, the vermin and the rodents associated with landfills make the placement of such sites unwelcome and unwanted in communitie~ throughout the land. Yet the need for a solution increases as the garbage piles up.
In the ordinary landfill, refuse is dumped into a hole or some other excavated site and then covered with topsoil or other earth coverinq. This process is repeated continuously, one layer upon another, raisinq the level of the land. While metho~s have been developed which permit the aeration of the buried refuse, these methods do not substantially accelerate the decomposition process. For instance, in U.S. Patent No. 4,483,~41, a waæte disposal landfill is disclosed having a eeries of air intake pipes and exhaust pipes extending from the atmosphere through the covering layer and into the garbage heap. However, such ventilation means, which are intended to evaporate accumulated water, are not appropriate for the purposes o~ expediently reducing the volume of garbage through an accelerated decomposition process.
~his is because air flow is localized within particular regions of the land~ill.
~22~3 The disadvantage of capping a landfill i8 that it prevents water (as well as air) from commingling with the refuse.
As a result, the natural decomposition processes are inhibited. A
typical capped landfill is no more than a stagnant, non-biodegrading pile of refuse. This is despite the fact that theyare largely composed o~ paper products and other biodegradable. A
recent observation of garbage in a landfill which had been agitated revealed newspapers dating back to 1980 which were readable and fully intact.
10It has been found that aerobic treatment of landfill material, where air and water are mixed with solid waste, results in a 7 to 10 times ~aster decomposition than an anaerobic treatment that lacks wa$~r and air. Furthermore, if the pH of the environment is below 4 then decomposition ceases to occur, which -will inevitably result as without water and air, hydrogen sulfide ~2S) is generated. Aerobic processes are less sensitive to changes in pH.
.:
~MM~RY 0~ INVE~TION
It is proposed that one method of all~viating the garbage crisis would be to expedite the natural process of the decomposition of biodegradable materials. However, it has ~een determined decomposition will occur only in the presence of air and moisture.
In order to achieve an e~fective accelerated process, it has been found that it is necessary to aerate the site and ~822~3 occasionally stir up the re~use on a periodic basis in order to insure a complete aeration of the mixture. Furthermnre, it i~
desirous to wet the re~use and aerate it on a periodic basis, since water and air serves to accelerake the decomposition process.
This in~ention discloses a process which will reduce the volume of biodegradable refuse in landfills which are closed or are on the verge of being closed. The process is also applicable to reducing the volume of newly disposed refuse as it is disposed upon its arrival at land~ills.
When a particular site is filled to capacity it is accepted practice to cap the landfill with a layer of compacted clay, or impermeable membrane, such as plastic, or an approved design by the Federal, State or municipal Government or a design or a state engineer. By capping off a landfill the malodorous scents are contained. ~he clay layer further prevents water from seeping through the refuse, which could create undesirable leachate that upon seeping into ground water would contaminate drinking water supplies.
Moi~tening and aerating landfill material has clear beneficial results. When a moistaned pile of refuse is commingled with air the decomposition of that pile will occur, resulting in a substantial reduction of volume caused by aerobic decomposition.
~ven prior to a passage of time a reduction of volume will occur.
Upon the aerating and moistening of a paper product, the paper becomes matted and reduced to a smaller volume. Once agitated, the wetted materials break down to smaller pieces, further reducing the volume. This process of exposing refuse to air and water and 2~2~3 mixing it is known as in place stabilization.
Reduction of volumP has clear economic benefits to municipalities and other landfill operators, as a unit price has been placed upon raw garbage ($100/ton) air space ($18/yd) and daily cover ($7/yd2). By reducing the volume of refuse, the cost of land~ill operators is substantially reduced. This is readily apparent as state and municipal laws set the permissible height of landfills. Space is finite, and so as the landfill approaches its full capacity the value of available space increases.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for accelerating the decomposition pro~ess of biodegradable refuse.
It is a further object of the invention to cause an immediate reduction of volume of refuse treated by the method.
It is a further object o~ the invention to provide such a method which can be applied conveniently and economically to existing landfills.
It is a further object of the invention to increase the air space or volume of an existing landfill 20 to 25%.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a method for accelerating the decomposition of biodegradable refuse which will conserve the space of existing landfills and increase the useful li~e of the landfill.
It is a further object of the invention to separate biodegradable refuse ~rom non-biodegradable refuse.
Other objects of the invention shall become apparent from the description thereof found below.
2~8~2~3 When exposed to adequate amounts of air and moisture, biodegradable refuse can be reduced in volume by 50 to 80% in about 360 days depending upon the composition of the materials. This requires proper mixture of the refuse, as well as aeration and ~oistening of the refuse. As re~use is brought to a landfill site the biodegradable materials are sleparated from the non-biodegxadable materials, such as cans or bottles. A separation process of this sort can be achieved by the use of a screening machine obtainable from DenBesten, Inc., Westlyn Grove, Box 344, Valatie, New York 12184. The biodegradable material is then placed into an excavated site and covered with earth, top soil, or an acceptable cover designed by an environmental engineer, or which meets Federal and State regulations. The garbage is moistened with voluminous amount of water either before it is covered or after it is covered, in the latter case by moistening the covered earth with water or leachate. The volume o~ water used varies dependent upon the size of landfill area treated by the process, but should be sufficient to saturate the area with many inches of water. The moisturization ~auses an immediate reduction of volume.
Periodically, the site is excavated and the garbage is mixed and aerated, as well as remoistened, and then the earthen cover is replaced. This process is repeated periodically in order to decrease the volume of the garbage to the desired amount. A
periodic covering of lime is optionally applied to the landfill surface in order to cut the stench. An additional reduction of volume can be achieved through the use of a material reducer which grinds the refuse. Such a device is disclosed in pending U~S~
2~2~3 -- 6 ~
application 306,450, assigned to Den~esten, Inc.
DE~AI~ED D~ RIP~ION OF T~ PR~FERR~D ~M~ODI~
As refuse is brought to the landfill site, it will require a sorting of biodegradables iErom the non-biodegradable materials. Most communities reguire their citizens to presort prior to disposal of its garbage, while others impose no such duties. Therefore, the extent of presortment will vary from site to site. However, a mechanical sorter which should be able to achieve satisfactory results for most communities is available from DenBesten, Inc. at the address listed above.
Once the non-biodegradable material has been sorted from the biodegradable material, the latter is brought to the actual excavation site. The non-biodegradable material incapable of either rscycling or composting should be incinerated. The excavation can be created by any o~ the means known in the art, but should be of a width of depth that is sufficient to insure adequate mixing of the refuse. The refuse is then placed into the excavati4n where it is initially moistened with a large volume of water or leachate in order to accelerate the rotting process. It should be noted that raw sewage diluted with water or leachate may also be used to moisten the re~use, and the use thereof would greatly accelerate the decomposition process. In the context of the present invention, raw sewage refers to raw, treated sewer sludge and sewage. However, the use of raw sewage may not be appropriate in situations where the landfill site does not have a 2~22~
liner. Any other approved liquid can be used as well.
When the excavation has been filled to the desired level top soil or some other earthen covering is placed upon the garbage heap. The refuse can be irrigated as it lies in the excavation by wetting the earthen covering with either water or leachatP.
Every two or three weeks or monthly, in order to insure that the decomposition is occurring properly the present invention contemplates mixing and aerating the refuse. Agitation and mixing ~hould occur within the 10 to 15 feet of refuse below the surface.
A rotor tiller device is capable o~ penetrating 8 to 20 feet below the surface. It should be noted that a bulldozer is acceptable ~or the agitation. At that time earthen covering is removed and the garbage is exposed. The garbage can also be mixed by use of a device such as a rotor tiller type machine. This machine is available from DenBesten, Inc. at the address listed above. The mixing operation insures that all of the garbage plac~d in the excavation is sufficiently exposed to air and moisture to insure that the decomposition procPss is complete. At that time the refuse should be remoistened with water, leachate, or raw sewage.
It is preferred that the mixing process occur every two to three weeks or else the decomposition process will become anaerobic, causing the decomposition process to proceed 7 to 10 times slower than the aerobic process.
The wetting of the refuse and the aeration thereof by mixing causes the refuse to undergo composting. The composting action is observable as the composting refuse generates heat and emits a visible methane vapor. The generation of methane must be 2~22~3 controlled, as the refuse is capable of exploding or combusting in situations where excess methane is generated. For this xeason, care must be taken to insure that the refuse is not oversaturated with water, as methane generation is proportional to the amount o~
moisture added to the refuse. Control can be achieved by closely monitoring the temperature of the decomposing material by inserting temperature probes within the compostiny mass. Temperatures should be kept below 140F. Therefore, the amount of water to be used, or whether th~ use of water should be discontinued, is dependent upon the temperature of the mass and its approach to 140F.
In practicing the invention to obtain the agitation and consequently aeration coupled with moisture to enhance decomposition, the dozers with each pass will taXe 6 inches to a foot off of the landfill~ The depth of each pass facilitates odor 1~ control. If the dozer goes too deep, larger odor emissions occur.
Eventually in eliminating the entire landfill after decomposition and composting has been obtained, the stabilized material will be screened to remove all of the non biodegradable materials. In the end, r latively clean stabilized soil will r sult.
Daily cover is normally about 6 inches thick and in the prior art services to seal off water and air, and prevents both from getting into the raw garbage. Thi~ is found to be an unacc~ptable way~ and does not result in composting of the garbage.
Daily cover in the form of clean dirt is normally $7-$201yd. The stabilized material produced by the invention when used as daily cover is free.
2~822~3 g It has been found that stabilized soil produced according to the invention which contains all recyclables, such as plastic, metal, shoes, ~no tires) is preferred daily cover, because the presence of this material serves as reinforcement (as in reinforced concrete) that gives the daily cover more strength to support greater loads, such as that of vehicles or people. It has been found that this support far exceeds that capable of being obtained from clean dirt. Furthermore, clean dirt readily washes away when exposed to rain, whereas stabilized soil does not, because of the presence of all of these foreign mat~rials, so that in addition to strength, the materials add more integrity to the daily cover of material.
In actual practice and particularly in the prior art, vehicles would often get stuck at landfills in extremely wet daily cover of clean dirt.
In accordance with conventional practice, the daily cover is compacted with a roller with steel wheels or teeth. This devicP
is called a trash compactor.
In order to control the odors which are indigenous to landfill environments an optional covering of lime may be applied periodically. The alkalinity of lime also serves as a means for adjusting the pH o~ the material to insure that the process remains ae~obic. The lime may be applied by any known existing mechanical or manual means.
In practicing the invention one may opt to further reduce the volume of refuse through the use of a material reducer, as set forth above.
2~2~3 -- 10 ~
According to the above process, the inventor realizes a 50 to 80% reduction in volume of qarbage within 360 days or as required, depending on the material. As the volume is reduced over a period of time, fresh garbage may be added to the excavation to replace the decomposed refuse. By following the teachings of the invention~ it i~ possible to realize a con~ervation of valuable landfill space.
Thus, the present invention embodies a process applicable to the reduction of volume of refuse that is either already stored or is newly disposed at the landfill site. It can also be applied to raw garbage outside of the landfill setting. Furthermore, it is of no importance whether the landfill subjected to the process is capped or uncapped, as the cap of a landfill can be removed prior to commencing the process. It is apparent to one skilled in the art that not all steps of the process are applica~le in every instance. For example, one need not create an excavation for presently stor~d refuse, as the excavation would be pre-existing.
Likewise, the sorting step, which could occur immediately upon the arrival of new refuse, would not occur until or after the occurrence of in place stabilization for presently stored refuse.
The process is adaptable to the situation at hand. It is readily apparent that many of the inventive steps are interchangeable and need not be carried out in any particular order. Thus it is apparent that there has been provided in accordance with the invention In place Stabilization of Pre-existing Landfills that fully satisfies the objects, aim~ and advantages set forth above.
While the invention has been described in conjunction with a 2~2~3 ~pecific embodiment thereof, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the foregoing description. Accordingly, it is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variations as fall within the spirit and broad scop~ of th~
invention.
I~ PLaCB 8~BI~IZATION OF PR~ XI8TI~ LANDFI~
~CR~RO~D O~ ~B INVE~O~
The problems of waste management have been well docume.nted. Our society is experiencing a crisis due to the closing of our landfills, as they are filled to capacity. For various reasons, the opening of new landfill sites is not a viable alternative. The unpleasant odors, the vermin and the rodents associated with landfills make the placement of such sites unwelcome and unwanted in communitie~ throughout the land. Yet the need for a solution increases as the garbage piles up.
In the ordinary landfill, refuse is dumped into a hole or some other excavated site and then covered with topsoil or other earth coverinq. This process is repeated continuously, one layer upon another, raisinq the level of the land. While metho~s have been developed which permit the aeration of the buried refuse, these methods do not substantially accelerate the decomposition process. For instance, in U.S. Patent No. 4,483,~41, a waæte disposal landfill is disclosed having a eeries of air intake pipes and exhaust pipes extending from the atmosphere through the covering layer and into the garbage heap. However, such ventilation means, which are intended to evaporate accumulated water, are not appropriate for the purposes o~ expediently reducing the volume of garbage through an accelerated decomposition process.
~his is because air flow is localized within particular regions of the land~ill.
~22~3 The disadvantage of capping a landfill i8 that it prevents water (as well as air) from commingling with the refuse.
As a result, the natural decomposition processes are inhibited. A
typical capped landfill is no more than a stagnant, non-biodegrading pile of refuse. This is despite the fact that theyare largely composed o~ paper products and other biodegradable. A
recent observation of garbage in a landfill which had been agitated revealed newspapers dating back to 1980 which were readable and fully intact.
10It has been found that aerobic treatment of landfill material, where air and water are mixed with solid waste, results in a 7 to 10 times ~aster decomposition than an anaerobic treatment that lacks wa$~r and air. Furthermore, if the pH of the environment is below 4 then decomposition ceases to occur, which -will inevitably result as without water and air, hydrogen sulfide ~2S) is generated. Aerobic processes are less sensitive to changes in pH.
.:
~MM~RY 0~ INVE~TION
It is proposed that one method of all~viating the garbage crisis would be to expedite the natural process of the decomposition of biodegradable materials. However, it has ~een determined decomposition will occur only in the presence of air and moisture.
In order to achieve an e~fective accelerated process, it has been found that it is necessary to aerate the site and ~822~3 occasionally stir up the re~use on a periodic basis in order to insure a complete aeration of the mixture. Furthermnre, it i~
desirous to wet the re~use and aerate it on a periodic basis, since water and air serves to accelerake the decomposition process.
This in~ention discloses a process which will reduce the volume of biodegradable refuse in landfills which are closed or are on the verge of being closed. The process is also applicable to reducing the volume of newly disposed refuse as it is disposed upon its arrival at land~ills.
When a particular site is filled to capacity it is accepted practice to cap the landfill with a layer of compacted clay, or impermeable membrane, such as plastic, or an approved design by the Federal, State or municipal Government or a design or a state engineer. By capping off a landfill the malodorous scents are contained. ~he clay layer further prevents water from seeping through the refuse, which could create undesirable leachate that upon seeping into ground water would contaminate drinking water supplies.
Moi~tening and aerating landfill material has clear beneficial results. When a moistaned pile of refuse is commingled with air the decomposition of that pile will occur, resulting in a substantial reduction of volume caused by aerobic decomposition.
~ven prior to a passage of time a reduction of volume will occur.
Upon the aerating and moistening of a paper product, the paper becomes matted and reduced to a smaller volume. Once agitated, the wetted materials break down to smaller pieces, further reducing the volume. This process of exposing refuse to air and water and 2~2~3 mixing it is known as in place stabilization.
Reduction of volumP has clear economic benefits to municipalities and other landfill operators, as a unit price has been placed upon raw garbage ($100/ton) air space ($18/yd) and daily cover ($7/yd2). By reducing the volume of refuse, the cost of land~ill operators is substantially reduced. This is readily apparent as state and municipal laws set the permissible height of landfills. Space is finite, and so as the landfill approaches its full capacity the value of available space increases.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for accelerating the decomposition pro~ess of biodegradable refuse.
It is a further object of the invention to cause an immediate reduction of volume of refuse treated by the method.
It is a further object o~ the invention to provide such a method which can be applied conveniently and economically to existing landfills.
It is a further object of the invention to increase the air space or volume of an existing landfill 20 to 25%.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a method for accelerating the decomposition of biodegradable refuse which will conserve the space of existing landfills and increase the useful li~e of the landfill.
It is a further object of the invention to separate biodegradable refuse ~rom non-biodegradable refuse.
Other objects of the invention shall become apparent from the description thereof found below.
2~8~2~3 When exposed to adequate amounts of air and moisture, biodegradable refuse can be reduced in volume by 50 to 80% in about 360 days depending upon the composition of the materials. This requires proper mixture of the refuse, as well as aeration and ~oistening of the refuse. As re~use is brought to a landfill site the biodegradable materials are sleparated from the non-biodegxadable materials, such as cans or bottles. A separation process of this sort can be achieved by the use of a screening machine obtainable from DenBesten, Inc., Westlyn Grove, Box 344, Valatie, New York 12184. The biodegradable material is then placed into an excavated site and covered with earth, top soil, or an acceptable cover designed by an environmental engineer, or which meets Federal and State regulations. The garbage is moistened with voluminous amount of water either before it is covered or after it is covered, in the latter case by moistening the covered earth with water or leachate. The volume o~ water used varies dependent upon the size of landfill area treated by the process, but should be sufficient to saturate the area with many inches of water. The moisturization ~auses an immediate reduction of volume.
Periodically, the site is excavated and the garbage is mixed and aerated, as well as remoistened, and then the earthen cover is replaced. This process is repeated periodically in order to decrease the volume of the garbage to the desired amount. A
periodic covering of lime is optionally applied to the landfill surface in order to cut the stench. An additional reduction of volume can be achieved through the use of a material reducer which grinds the refuse. Such a device is disclosed in pending U~S~
2~2~3 -- 6 ~
application 306,450, assigned to Den~esten, Inc.
DE~AI~ED D~ RIP~ION OF T~ PR~FERR~D ~M~ODI~
As refuse is brought to the landfill site, it will require a sorting of biodegradables iErom the non-biodegradable materials. Most communities reguire their citizens to presort prior to disposal of its garbage, while others impose no such duties. Therefore, the extent of presortment will vary from site to site. However, a mechanical sorter which should be able to achieve satisfactory results for most communities is available from DenBesten, Inc. at the address listed above.
Once the non-biodegradable material has been sorted from the biodegradable material, the latter is brought to the actual excavation site. The non-biodegradable material incapable of either rscycling or composting should be incinerated. The excavation can be created by any o~ the means known in the art, but should be of a width of depth that is sufficient to insure adequate mixing of the refuse. The refuse is then placed into the excavati4n where it is initially moistened with a large volume of water or leachate in order to accelerate the rotting process. It should be noted that raw sewage diluted with water or leachate may also be used to moisten the re~use, and the use thereof would greatly accelerate the decomposition process. In the context of the present invention, raw sewage refers to raw, treated sewer sludge and sewage. However, the use of raw sewage may not be appropriate in situations where the landfill site does not have a 2~22~
liner. Any other approved liquid can be used as well.
When the excavation has been filled to the desired level top soil or some other earthen covering is placed upon the garbage heap. The refuse can be irrigated as it lies in the excavation by wetting the earthen covering with either water or leachatP.
Every two or three weeks or monthly, in order to insure that the decomposition is occurring properly the present invention contemplates mixing and aerating the refuse. Agitation and mixing ~hould occur within the 10 to 15 feet of refuse below the surface.
A rotor tiller device is capable o~ penetrating 8 to 20 feet below the surface. It should be noted that a bulldozer is acceptable ~or the agitation. At that time earthen covering is removed and the garbage is exposed. The garbage can also be mixed by use of a device such as a rotor tiller type machine. This machine is available from DenBesten, Inc. at the address listed above. The mixing operation insures that all of the garbage plac~d in the excavation is sufficiently exposed to air and moisture to insure that the decomposition procPss is complete. At that time the refuse should be remoistened with water, leachate, or raw sewage.
It is preferred that the mixing process occur every two to three weeks or else the decomposition process will become anaerobic, causing the decomposition process to proceed 7 to 10 times slower than the aerobic process.
The wetting of the refuse and the aeration thereof by mixing causes the refuse to undergo composting. The composting action is observable as the composting refuse generates heat and emits a visible methane vapor. The generation of methane must be 2~22~3 controlled, as the refuse is capable of exploding or combusting in situations where excess methane is generated. For this xeason, care must be taken to insure that the refuse is not oversaturated with water, as methane generation is proportional to the amount o~
moisture added to the refuse. Control can be achieved by closely monitoring the temperature of the decomposing material by inserting temperature probes within the compostiny mass. Temperatures should be kept below 140F. Therefore, the amount of water to be used, or whether th~ use of water should be discontinued, is dependent upon the temperature of the mass and its approach to 140F.
In practicing the invention to obtain the agitation and consequently aeration coupled with moisture to enhance decomposition, the dozers with each pass will taXe 6 inches to a foot off of the landfill~ The depth of each pass facilitates odor 1~ control. If the dozer goes too deep, larger odor emissions occur.
Eventually in eliminating the entire landfill after decomposition and composting has been obtained, the stabilized material will be screened to remove all of the non biodegradable materials. In the end, r latively clean stabilized soil will r sult.
Daily cover is normally about 6 inches thick and in the prior art services to seal off water and air, and prevents both from getting into the raw garbage. Thi~ is found to be an unacc~ptable way~ and does not result in composting of the garbage.
Daily cover in the form of clean dirt is normally $7-$201yd. The stabilized material produced by the invention when used as daily cover is free.
2~822~3 g It has been found that stabilized soil produced according to the invention which contains all recyclables, such as plastic, metal, shoes, ~no tires) is preferred daily cover, because the presence of this material serves as reinforcement (as in reinforced concrete) that gives the daily cover more strength to support greater loads, such as that of vehicles or people. It has been found that this support far exceeds that capable of being obtained from clean dirt. Furthermore, clean dirt readily washes away when exposed to rain, whereas stabilized soil does not, because of the presence of all of these foreign mat~rials, so that in addition to strength, the materials add more integrity to the daily cover of material.
In actual practice and particularly in the prior art, vehicles would often get stuck at landfills in extremely wet daily cover of clean dirt.
In accordance with conventional practice, the daily cover is compacted with a roller with steel wheels or teeth. This devicP
is called a trash compactor.
In order to control the odors which are indigenous to landfill environments an optional covering of lime may be applied periodically. The alkalinity of lime also serves as a means for adjusting the pH o~ the material to insure that the process remains ae~obic. The lime may be applied by any known existing mechanical or manual means.
In practicing the invention one may opt to further reduce the volume of refuse through the use of a material reducer, as set forth above.
2~2~3 -- 10 ~
According to the above process, the inventor realizes a 50 to 80% reduction in volume of qarbage within 360 days or as required, depending on the material. As the volume is reduced over a period of time, fresh garbage may be added to the excavation to replace the decomposed refuse. By following the teachings of the invention~ it i~ possible to realize a con~ervation of valuable landfill space.
Thus, the present invention embodies a process applicable to the reduction of volume of refuse that is either already stored or is newly disposed at the landfill site. It can also be applied to raw garbage outside of the landfill setting. Furthermore, it is of no importance whether the landfill subjected to the process is capped or uncapped, as the cap of a landfill can be removed prior to commencing the process. It is apparent to one skilled in the art that not all steps of the process are applica~le in every instance. For example, one need not create an excavation for presently stor~d refuse, as the excavation would be pre-existing.
Likewise, the sorting step, which could occur immediately upon the arrival of new refuse, would not occur until or after the occurrence of in place stabilization for presently stored refuse.
The process is adaptable to the situation at hand. It is readily apparent that many of the inventive steps are interchangeable and need not be carried out in any particular order. Thus it is apparent that there has been provided in accordance with the invention In place Stabilization of Pre-existing Landfills that fully satisfies the objects, aim~ and advantages set forth above.
While the invention has been described in conjunction with a 2~2~3 ~pecific embodiment thereof, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the foregoing description. Accordingly, it is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variations as fall within the spirit and broad scop~ of th~
invention.
Claims (28)
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. A process for reducing the volume of decomposable materials by mixing the decomposable materials, aerating the decomposable materials, moistening the decomposable materials, said mixing, aerating, and moistening steps occurring on a periodic basis and in a preselected sequence.
2. A process according to Claim 1 whereby the mixing, aerating and moistening steps are each carried out two to three week cycles.
3. A process according to Claim 1 whereby the decomposable materials are moistened with at least one part water.
4. A process according to Claim 1 whereby the decomposable materials are moistened with at least one part leachate.
5. A process according to Claim 1 whereby the decomposable material is moistened with at least one part raw sewage.
6. A process according to Claim 1 whereby the mixing is accomplished by mechanical means.
7. A process according to Claim 1 whereby non-biodegradable materials are sorted from the biodegradable materials.
8. A process according to Claim 6 whereby the mixing is accomplished by use of a rotor tiller.
9. A process according to Claim 1 whereby aerating occurs by mechanical means.
10. The process according to Claim 1 further comprised of the step of reducing the volume of the refuse by mechanical means.
11. The process according to Claim 10 wherein the material reduction by mechanical means is accomplished by the use of a material reducer.
12. The process according to Claim 1 wherein a periodic covering of lime is applied to the surface of the decomposable materials.
13. The process according to Claim 1 wherein a 20 to 25 percent reduction of material volume is realized.
14. A process for disposing of decomposable materials at a landfill site comprising the steps of placing said decomposable materials into an excavation, moistening said decomposable materials, covering said decomposable materials with a suitable cover, uncovering said decomposable materials and aerating, mixing and moistening them on a periodic basis.
15. A process according to Claim 14 whereby said process occurs in 2 to 3 week cycles.
16. The process according to Claim 14 further comprised of the step of sorting biodegradable materials from non-biodegradable materials.
17. A process according to Claim 15 whereby the decomposable material is moistened by moistening the covering of decomposable material.
18. A process according to Claim 14 whereby said moistening is accomplished by utilizing at least one part water.
19. A process according to Claim 14 whereby said moistening is accomplished by utilizing at least one part leachate.
20. A process according to Claim 14 whereby the moistening is accomplished by at least one part raw sewage.
21. A process according to Claim 14 whereby said aerating step is comprised by mechanical means.
22. A process according to Claim 14 whereby the sorted non-biodegradable materials are incinerated.
23. A process according to Claim 14 whereby said aerating step comprises the use of mixing means.
24. A process according to Claim 21 whereby said mixing step comprises the use of a rotor-tiller.
25. A process according to Claim 14 wherein a periodic covering of lime is applied to the surface of the decomposable materials.
26. A process according to Claim 14 wherein a 20 to 25 percent reduction of landfill volume is realized.
27. A process according to Claim 7 wherein the non-biodegradable materials are incinerated.
28. A process according to Claim 1 wherein the resulting product of the process is stabilized soil suitable for use as daily cover.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002082293A CA2082293A1 (en) | 1992-11-06 | 1992-11-06 | In place stabilization of pre-existing landfills |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002082293A CA2082293A1 (en) | 1992-11-06 | 1992-11-06 | In place stabilization of pre-existing landfills |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2082293A1 true CA2082293A1 (en) | 1994-05-07 |
Family
ID=4150654
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002082293A Abandoned CA2082293A1 (en) | 1992-11-06 | 1992-11-06 | In place stabilization of pre-existing landfills |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA2082293A1 (en) |
Cited By (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WO2002022524A1 (en) * | 2000-09-14 | 2002-03-21 | Environmental Concern (2000) Limited | Waste processing method |
-
1992
- 1992-11-06 CA CA002082293A patent/CA2082293A1/en not_active Abandoned
Cited By (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WO2002022524A1 (en) * | 2000-09-14 | 2002-03-21 | Environmental Concern (2000) Limited | Waste processing method |
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