TM 5-814-5
CHAPTER 1
GENERAL
1-1. Purpose.
or subsurface aquifers or otherwise harm the
natural environnment. In the 1960*s and 1970*s
This manual establishes the minimum design re-
engineers started designing sanitary landfills that
quirements for sanitary landfills, provides engi-
relied on the depth to ground-water, and biological,
neering criteria for construction, and lists recom-
chemical, and physical mechanisms of the soil to
mended practices for planning and feasibility
protect the ground-water. However, more recent
studies.
findings have proven that these natural mechanisms
do not fully protect the environment from methane
1-2. Scope.
gas, a by-product of decaying organic matter, or
This manual explains applicable laws and regula-
from leachate. Because of these past practices,
tions, solid waste disposal alternatives, site selec-
many of these old "sanitary landfills" are now found
tion considerations, design criteria, construction
to be "hazardous waste sites."
methods, and operating practices for sanitary land-
fills. Only disposal of non-hazardous solid waste at
1-5. Current Practice.
Army installations is addressed. The information
a. In the past, uncontrolled refuse disposal had
described herein is applicable to feasibility studies
many undesirable effects on Army installations, and
as well as design work.
the environmental legislation developed to control
such wastes forced authorities to require
1-3. References.
improvements in refuse disposal processes. Surface
Appendix A contains a list of references used in this
and ground-water contamination, explosive hazards
manual.
associated with uncontrolled methane gas
production, increased vermin activity, and the
1-4. History of Solid Waste Disposal.
obvious problems with refuse odors, are the main
a. Before World War II, the Army disposed of
factors to consider in design of a sanitary landfill.
refuse on land (open dumps) in remote areas of the
b. Options available to eliminate the quantity and
installation and burned the combustible materials
specific types of refuse in sanitary landfills include
periodically. The Army did not adopt sanitary
incineration, recycling, composting yard wastes and
landfilling as a solid waste disposal practice until
landfills designed for a specific waste requiring
1942, when published instructions recommended
permits (e.g. hazardous waste landfills, asbestos
that refuse be compacted into trenches and covered
landfills, etc.). So there might be less transport of
daily with soil. In 1946, the Army published TM 5-
refuse, placement of landfills close to the center of
634, which provided specific guidance. At that
population would be the most desirable situation
time, the primary emphasis of waste disposal was to
for the designer. Adverse public sentiment and the
reduce garbage odors and blowing litter and to
cost and availability of land usually are the deciding
control insects and rodents.
factors for locating a landfill, which make
b. The 1958 version of TM 5-634 was the first
transporting the refuse to a more advantageous
Army guidance to address landfill site selection.
location the preferred option for many authorities.
Although site selection criteria dealt mainly with
New technologies that can produce a closed landfill
distance to refuse sources and access to the site, the
system, a self contained system resulting in very
manual did indicate that landfill sites should not
little impact on the surrounding environment, have
have surface or subsurface drainage that might
resulted in more restrictive legislation and
pollute a water supply.
regulations for sanitary landfills. Therefore, site
c. These practices were undoubtedly considered
selection and proper landfill design are considered
"state of the art" and environmentally safe at the
the most important factors in the refuse disposal
time. This view prevailed, even though it was
process.
common practice to codispose waste engine oil,
spent solvents, industrial sludges, and municipal
1-6. Laws and Regulations.
type wastes together in the landfill. Furthermore, no
a. Federal.
one considered that these liquids might escape from
(1) 40 CFR 240 and 241. For the design and
a landfill and seriously contaminate surface waters
1-1
Previous Page
