A Review of Recent Studies On the Sources of Hazardous Compounds Emitted From Solid Waste Landfills: a U.S. Experience

Municipal solid waste landfills operating in the United States receive a large variety of materials generated by an industrialized, "throwaway" society. As a result, liquid and gas emissions (produced during the normal decomposition processes occurring within the landfill) are often contaminated with hazardous compounds. The presence of hazardous pollutants in liquid and gaseous emissions is well documented, however, the source of these pollutants is not always apparent. Potential sources of these hazardous contaminants in municipal solid waste landfills may include small quantity generators of hazardous wastes, household hazardous wastes, wastes disposed prior to the 1980 enactment of U.S. hazardous waste disposal legislation, and biological and chemical transformation products of buried refuse. Source identification will facilitate characterization and quantification of emissions necessary for the design and operation of leachate gas collection and treatment facilities.