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Closing Illegal Dumps

Closing Illegal Dumps. Laura J. Weber Solid Waste Project Manager St. Regis Mohawk Tribe. Presentation Summary. Sustainability Sustainable Open Dump Closure Developing Sustainable Closure Plan Closure Process & Methods Surveillance & Monitoring Closure Example Additional Resources.

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Closing Illegal Dumps

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  1. Closing Illegal Dumps Laura J. Weber Solid Waste Project Manager St. Regis Mohawk Tribe Addressing & Managing Illegal Dumps in Indian Country

  2. Presentation Summary • Sustainability • Sustainable Open Dump Closure • Developing Sustainable Closure Plan • Closure Process & Methods • Surveillance & Monitoring • Closure Example • Additional Resources Addressing & Managing Illegal Dumps in Indian Country

  3. What is Sustainability The definition of sustainability depends on who is speaking —Andy Duncan Managing a two-year-old is like nailing Jell-O to a tree, goes an old saying. Maybe getting adults to agree on a definition of sustainability is like that, too. Individuals and groups keep trying, but no one has hammered out one that everybody accepts. Addressing & Managing Illegal Dumps in Indian Country

  4. What is Sustainability Con’t Still, common themes run through most definitions of sustainability. They usually deal with nature, the economy, society or, perhaps most often, all three together. Most are not about maintaining life precisely as it is today. They are about the rate of change, and about equity between generations. Many see sustainability as a continually evolving process. Addressing & Managing Illegal Dumps in Indian Country

  5. What is Sustainability Con’t • The Dictionary of Sustainable Management • Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. • This definition was created in 1987 at the World Commission on Environment and Development (the Brundtland Commission). It is enshrined in the Swiss federal constitution. It is similar to the "seventh generation" philosophy of the Native American Iroquois Confederacy, mandating that chiefs always consider the effects of their actions on their descendants seven generations in the future. Addressing & Managing Illegal Dumps in Indian Country

  6. Sustainability & Closing Illegal Open Dumps Sustainable closure is one that the environment can bear, is equitable for the community and is economically viable Source: Wikipedia Addressing & Managing Illegal Dumps in Indian Country

  7. Information Needed for Developing a Sustainable Closure Plan • Environment • Environmental Regulations • Site conditions • Type of site is it – non-hazardous or hazardous • Potential pollutants • Geology – possibility for groundwater contamination • Surface water runoff • Social (Community) • Public health threats • Community impacts to both the host and neighboring communities • Political climate Addressing & Managing Illegal Dumps in Indian Country

  8. Information Need for Developing a Sustainable Closure Plan • Cost • Cleanup • Closure • Surveillance & continued monitoring • Cost to community & environment • Who pays Addressing & Managing Illegal Dumps in Indian Country

  9. Closure Process • Using a stage process is best • Investigate potential impacts (Site Assessment) • Reduce risks (no-cost to medium-cost options) • New sustainable disposal option • Financial & information strategy • Use consultation to secure dump users’ commitment to closure • Choose a closure method • Write a closure plan • Inform, train and educate users Addressing & Managing Illegal Dumps in Indian Country

  10. Closure Methods • Three principle Methods • In-place closure by covering • Removing waste from the site • Upgrading dump to a controlled dumping site or sanitary landfill • Selecting the most technically advanced solution is not always the most appropriate • Key is to keep things simple & sustainable in a local context, while maximizing actual improvement in environmental performance Addressing & Managing Illegal Dumps in Indian Country

  11. First Method - In-Place Closure Solid waste is left & covered with a layer of local soil & re-vegated This approach will: Reduce waste exposure to wind & vectors Prevent people & animals from scavenging Control odor Minimize risk of fires Stop people from using the site Control infiltration of rainwater/surface water Reduce leachate generation Control migration of landfill gas Serve as a growth medium for vegetation Support suitable post-closure activities Addressing & Managing Illegal Dumps in Indian Country

  12. Second Method – Remove Materials • Remove solid waste from site and dispose of it off-site at a sanitary landfill or waste incineration plant • Can incorporate sorting waste for recovery of recyclables • Removal may lead to odors, releasing gaseous vapor, leachate, and windblown litter Addressing & Managing Illegal Dumps in Indian Country

  13. Third Method – Upgrade Open Dump • Develop the open dump into a manageable and useable landfill • May only be feasible in an area where groundwater pollution is not critical since the dump doesn’t include a liner to protect groundwater • Requires sound design, operation and management of the landfill at all levels, and is effectively a move towards a sanitary landfill operation Addressing & Managing Illegal Dumps in Indian Country

  14. Surveillance & Monitoring for Closure • Need to develop a plan to monitoring sites so as to prevent future dumping • Signs – let people know that no dumping is allowed • Barriers – limit access to the site, can be fences, posts, berms, and concrete highway dividers • Lighting – increases visibility of site at night • Landscaping & beautification – helps to change site scenery to let people know that it is not a dumping site anymore Addressing & Managing Illegal Dumps in Indian Country

  15. Surveillance & Monitoring for Closure Con’t • Surveillance can involve use of video monitoring equipment in addition to on-site surveillance by local police departments or community members • Type of monitoring will depend on site conditions, but could involve monitoring of • Groundwater • Explosive gas • Surface Water Addressing & Managing Illegal Dumps in Indian Country

  16. SRMT/MCA Joint Cleanup Project Dump Site Transfer Station Addressing & Managing Illegal Dumps in Indian Country

  17. Additional Resources • Guideline 10 – Closure of Old Landfills & Open Dumps • http://www.ndhealth.gov/wm/Publications/Guideline10ClosureOfOldLandfillsAndOpenDumps.PDF • Tlingit Haida Report on Open Dump Closure • http://www.anthc.org/cs/dehe/sustops/rasc/upload/Appendix%205.pdf • Waste Management World Article • http://www.waste-management-world.com/index/display/article-display/348571/articles/waste-management-world/volume-9/issue-6/features/closed-for-business-a-look-at-the-closure-of-open-dumps.html Addressing & Managing Illegal Dumps in Indian Country

  18. Additional Resources Con’t • EPA’s Illegal Dumping Prevention Guidebook • http://www.epa.gov/reg5rcra/wptdiv/illegal_dumping/downloads/il-dmpng.pdf Addressing & Managing Illegal Dumps in Indian Country

  19. Laura J. Weber Solid Waste Project Manager St. Regis Mohawk Tribe M-F, 6:30 AM -2:30 PM EST 518-651-9926 Laura.weber@srmt-nsn.gov www.srmtenv.org Questions? Addressing & Managing Illegal Dumps in Indian Country

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