A landfill, also known as a dump, cesspool or rubbish dump, is a site for the disposal of waste materials by burial and is the oldest form of waste treatment. Historically, landfills have been the most common methods of organised waste disposal and remain so in many places around the world.
Landfills may include internal waste disposal sites (where a producer of waste carries out their own waste disposal at the place of production) as well as sites used by many producers. Many landfills are also used for other waste management purposes, such as the temporary storage, consolidation and transfer, or processing of waste material (sorting, treatment, or recycling).
There is quite large number of definitions about landfills. For instance, landfill is:
A method of solid waste disposal in which refuse is buried between layers of dirt so as to fill in or reclaim low-lying ground. [1]
Environmentally acceptable disposal of waste on ground. Sanitary landfills are where non-hazardous waste is spread in layers, compacted, and covered with earth at the end of each working day. Secure landfills (also called sanitary landfills) are those where hazardous waste is disposed of by burial, in holes or trenches in ground lined with impervious plastic sheeting to prevent leakage or leaching of dangerous substances into soil and water supply. [2]
A disposal site where solid waste, such as paper, glass, and metal, is buried between layers of dirt and other materials in such a way as to reduce contamination of the surrounding land. Modern landfills are often lined with layers of absorbent material and sheets of plastic to keep pollutants from leaking into the soil and water. Also called sanitary landfill. [3]
Landfills are the most widely utilized solid waste management option. Modern landfills are constructed with a number of safeguards, including clay or plastic lining to contain leachate.…
