Overview of the Standards for Landfills in Alberta. Donna Chaw, Ph.D Waste Policy Advisor Air, Land, and Strategic Policy Branch Alberta Environment

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1 Overview of the Standards for Landfills in Alberta Donna Chaw, Ph.D Waste Policy Advisor Air, Land, and Strategic Policy Branch Alberta Environment 1 1

2 Outline Background Current Status Application of the Standards Highlight major changes Questions 2 2

3 Background Pre 1996 municipal landfills were issued permits under the Public Health Act Code of Practice for Landfills. ALL landfills to meet the Code provisions. Stakeholders requested AENV to produce Standards & Guidelines for Landfills to 2010 have been developing the Standards with stakeholder input. Published versions: 2004, 2007 and 2010 Standards and Guidelines for landfills incorporates intent from the Code of Practice for Landfills, expands upon and defines existing landfill provisions, and adds new landfill requirements. 3 3

4 Current Status Standards Standards for Landfills in Alberta 2010 v1.0 is finalized and published on Alberta Environment s website ( ) Review period 5years Guidelines Provides more detail on how to meet Standard requirements. To be released at the end of the year. 4 4

5 Application of the Standards Standards will replace the Code of Practice for Landfills Requires amendment to the Waste Control Regulation (pending 2012) Applies to Class II and Class III landfills. Applies to new and lateral expansions Transition Registered Facilities (<10,000 tonnes/yr) Voluntary basis Not required to follow the Standards until formal notification from AENV Approved Facilities (> 10,000 tonnes/yr) Standards have been written into approvals since 2004 Follow Approval conditions until renewal or notified 5 5

6 Standards Table of Content 1. Regulatory Disclosure Process 2. Development and Siting 3. Design and Construction 4. Landfill Operation 5. Monitoring, Analysis and Corrective Action 6. Final Closure and Post-Closure 7. Record Keeping and Reporting 6 6

7 Disclosure Plan The Disclosure Plan is an outline of the landfill siting and public notice process Submitted before the AENV application form Not new landfill approvals New for registered facility Site investigation Conceptual plans of landfill design and footprint Timelines End Use plans Public disclosure process 7 7

8 Development and Siting 300m to natural and man made water bodies Must have a separation of 30m from an exception underlying aquifer Must have a minimum 8m of 1x10-8 m/s clay below the liner Must not have fractured non-porous bedrock or karst features 10m below the liner Applies to class II and Class III (inert waste) No exceptions for new or laterally expanding landfills 8 8

9 Design and Construction Class II Liner and leachate collection Class III Containment of the waste (still no liner requirement) Liner specifications Compacted Clay Composite liner (geomembrane + 0.6m clay) Geosynthetic clay liner (geomembrane + bentonite + clay) Leachate pond Double geomembrane liner with a leak detection system No more new unlined landfills/landfill cells 9 9

10 Operations Certified operator (SWANA and CCC) Operations plan Waste screening, nuisance management, monitoring, covering etc Wildlife Management Development of a plan to exclude wildlife from scavenging (predominantly bears) SRD has developed a best management practice document Leachate Management Max. leachate head at 0.3m for new cells Existing cells with leachate removal manage to historical levels

11 Monitoring, Analysis, Corrective Action Monitoring Plan for groundwater and surface water, leachate (if applicable) and subsurface landfill gas (organics) Surface water Ability to release to background levels (provide evidence) Groundwater Performance standards based on facility specific quality control limits (statistical calculated based on background) No more pollute up to limits Action required if there is increasing trend Monitoring 2x per year Reduced monitoring parameters after background levels established

12 Final Closure and Post-Closure Final Cover design- minimum requirements same as the Code of Practice for Landfills Allow innovation upon Director s discretion Post Closure monitoring for a minimum of 25 years, but can be longer if leachate, groundwater, or subsurface landfill gas don t meet performance criteria

13 Record keeping and Reporting Annual Reports Submitted March 31 (approvals) Kept on site (registrations) Tonnage Records Online waste measurement system (Brenna McLenan) Submitted by March 31 for previous year Final Closure Report 60 days after completion of final closure Post-Closure Annual Report March 31 each year End of Post-Closure within 60 days of end of postclosure 13 13

14 Donna Chaw AENV Waste Policy Advisor Thank you Questions? 14 14

Geomembranes and Geosynthetic Clay Liners (GCLs)

Geomembranes and Geosynthetic Clay Liners (GCLs) Geosynthetic Materials Association 800 636 5042 www.gmanow.com gmatechline@ifai.com Geomembranes are essentially impermeable polymeric lining materials