Landfill basics Flashcards
What is CEQA/Permits Needed to Operate (3)
California Environmental Quality Act: Requires States and local agencies to evaluate and disclose environmental impacts of proposed projects
Fulfilled through local or state agencies
Various Permits Needed: Stormwater Discharge Permit, Water Discharge Permit (WDR), Solid Waste Facilities Permit, gas permits
What Experience do you have fulfilling CEQA requirements or engaging with environmental standards?
Which governing agencies (2)? What did Caltrans have in place(1)?
–> On the backend, after the permit is issued. Due to my part in enforcing permits as state inspector on-site.
California Department of Fish and Wildlife
–>Streambed Alteration Agreement
—->All Employees Trained
—->Daytime hours
—->Flagging limits of ESA and enforcement
—->Protect Nests
—->Proper removal of protected vegetation
—->On the look-out for protected animals (legless lizards)
—->Birds of prey get 500 ft
Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board
–>Refuel and refill fluids in designated areas
–> Staging area at least 100ft from the waterway
–>Erosion control to prevent sediment in the waterway with straw wattles
Caltrans Environmental Stewardship (Somewhat Overlaps)
–> Chapter 14
—-> ESA (protected and delineated)
—-> Animals are protected through Federal and CA Endangered Species Act
—-> Bird, migratory fish (salmonoids) are protected
—-> Dust, solid waste management
What do standards cover for Landfill?
Siting and design
Water Monitoring
Operation Criteria
Daily Cover
Fire Control
Gas Monitoring
Development of waste discharged requirements (WDRs) and Solid Waste facility permits
Leachate Treatment
Biological
–> Aerobic
–>Anaerobic
–>Mixed
Physical
–> Filtering
–>Reverse Osmosis
–>Gravity Settling
and many more. It would be a combination of this.
Emergency Situations/Mitigation
Regular inspection
Monitor levels, movement, and more
have emergency plans ready
Backups of critical infrastructure (redundancy)
Proper and regular training
Leachate Seeps/Breakouts
Prevention/Mitigation:
Regular inspection of leachate collection systems
Monitor leachate levels in sumps
Install redundant collection systems
Have emergency containment equipment ready
Establish clear response protocols
Stormwater Management Issues
Prevention/Mitigation:
Design robust drainage systems with excess capacity
Install erosion control measures
Maintain vegetation on slopes
Have backup pumps ready
Slope Stability Concerns
Prevention/Mitigation:
Install slope monitoring instruments (inclinometers, survey points)
Maintain proper waste compaction rates
Regular stability analyses
Maintain safe slope angles
Regular drone/visual inspections
Gas Collection System Issues
Prevention/Mitigation:
Regular wellhead monitoring
Schedule preventive maintenance
Monitor pressure readings
Install redundant systems
Have spare parts inventory
Train staff on emergency protocols
Regular system balancing
Gas Collection
Methane and Carbon dioxide
Sent to the on-site generator for electricity for 30,000 homes
collected through gas wells
My responsibilities at the rest area
NOT MY MAIN RESPONSIBILITY BUT SHOWCASES VARIETY I SAW
Observed some dewatering and sludge removal from the pond. Mostly observed the:
–> Removal of RSP
–> Grading of clay layer (90% compaction)
–> Compaction of clay layer
–> Arrival of HDPE 60 mil geomembrane and verified material properties and source
–> arrival of filter fabric, verification of source and condition
Dewatering of Sludge
–>Dewatered using geotextile bags
–>Until 25% solids by weight
–>continuous testing
–> Cleaning of all spillage or loss
–>Regional Quality Control Board Permits dictated handling of sludge
–> Water sent to the wastewater treatment facility
Pond Basics
Aerobic–> uses Oxygen to breakdown organics
Aerated lagoon–> Utilized aerators for agitations and oxygen introduction to promote –>bacterial decomposition
–>The previous pond utilized settling.
Overview of the Pump Station Project
performance Test
–> Testing for 97% of the factory-certified performance curve
–> Testing for design pump rates verification
Pump Sizes
1800 GPM @ 21ft TDH
15 HP
New Motor control centers
Organization of 6 department maintenance personnel with the MCC manufacturer to go over training of the system. (3 counties, 3 trainings)
Installation of piping, couplers, floats, electronics, conduits, MCC, Pumps, Minor structural work
Important CalOSHA Title 8
Chapter 4
–> Subchapter 4 (Construction Safety Orders)
—–>Article 6: Excavation
————>1.5:1 Max Slopes before needing to be engineered
————>
—–>Article10: Haulage and Earth Moving
Where to Find Standards for landfill operations and construction?
California Code of Regulations–> Title 27
