2000 Annual Report: Permitting and Operations

Permitting and Operations Topics

Introduction Regulatory Framework Enforcement Agencies Permitting Operations and Enforcement Closure and Postclosure for Landfills Closed, Illegal and Abandoned Waste Disposal Sites New Initiatives Research and Development

Under AB 939, IWMB is required to ensure that nonhazardous solid waste and recovered recyclables are stored, processed, and/or disposed of in a safe and environmentally sound manner. This is accomplished through the development and enforcement of environmental and health regulations at solid waste facilities, including landfills, transfer stations, composting operations, and materials recovery and transformation facilities.

Integrated waste management programs are primarily carried out through LEAs that are designated by the governing body of a county or city and certified by the IWMB. LEAs are empowered to implement delegated IWMB programs and locally designated activities.

The IWMB’s permitting and enforcement division is responsible for certifying LEA programs; administering a remediation program for orphaned, illegal, and abandoned sites; reviewing permitting and closure/postclosure documents; providing inspection and oversight of local programs to ensure that State programs are effectively implemented; enforcing State standards and permit conditions in addition to or in lieu of the LEA; and reviewing and approving financial assurances for closure and postclosure care of landfills.

Regulatory Framework

Passage of AB 939 and issuance of federal Subtitle D regulations in 1991 significantly expanded the IWMB’s regulatory oversight and responsibility over solid waste facilities. The Code of Federal Regulations, Title 40, Subtitle D established a new regulatory framework for protection of public health and safety and the environment from the potential impacts of landfills. The federal standards require design and construction of engineered liners and final covers; standards for daily cover, vector control, and exclusion of hazardous wastes; financial assurances; and leachate and landfill gas monitoring and control systems. Pursuant to California’s PRC section 40598, the IWMB is designated as the State waste management agency for federal requirements affecting solid waste. In 1993, the IWMB revised the State’s solid waste landfill regulatory program in partnership with LEAs and the State Water Resources Control Board to achieve federal approval under Subtitle D.

Historical Landfill Design. The potential public health and safety impacts associated with historical landfills included:

• Landfill gas contains methane, a flammable gas, carbon dioxide, and trace amounts of volatile organic compounds. These products are the result of the natural biological decomposition of waste. It can accumulate in on-site structures or migrate off site, posing a risk of fire or explosion. In addition, landfill gas can displace air, posing an asphyxiation threat and damaging vegetation, while the volatile organic compounds can pose potential long-term human health threats.
• Leachate is the liquid formed by the drainage of liquids from waste or by the percolation or flow of liquid through waste. Leachate can contaminate groundwater, including domestic water supplies.
• Litter is not only unsightly; accumulations of litter can attract vectors (e.g., flies, rats) and pose a fire hazard.
• Odor can also attract vectors and may induce a negative reaction from landfill neighbors whether or not there is an associated health risk.
• Dust is a health hazard and can obscure the vision of landfill workers or users.
• Site security. In unmanned, unfenced landfills, it is virtually impossible to control illegal dumping such as the disposal of hazardous waste, how and where the waste is deposited, user contact with exposed waste, fires, etc.

Historical Landfill Design	Modern Landfill Design
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Modern Landfill Design and Control Systems. The complex design and containment of landfills (see illustration, next page) required by California State regulations approved under Subtitle D address these impacts:

• Landfill gas is controlled through a system that collects the gas in wells and conveys it to either a flare where it is burned and destroyed, or to a mini-power plant for the generation of electricity.
• Leachate is controlled through a collection and removal system consisting of a low-permeable base liner, collection pipes, pumps, and storage tanks. The leachate can be treated on site or may be piped to a wastewater treatment facility.
• Litter is controlled by application of daily cover material (soil or equivalent) and a litter prevention and collection program.
• Odor is controlled by the application of daily cover material. The landfill gas collection system also controls odors associated with landfill gas.
• Dust is controlled through a suppression program, which primarily involves the application of water and restrictions on activities during windy periods.
• Site security. With personnel on site at all times, the operator has control over all site operations. Fencing keeps the site secured when closed.