Handbook of the Effects of Landfill Emissions on Sustainable Development

Air pollution contributes to the degraded quality of life and reduces the life expectancy of the population. The World Health Organization estimates that air pollution is responsible for 7 million deaths per year worldwide. It contributes to worsening respiratory diseases and causes lung cancer and heart attacks. Air pollution thus has important medical consequences for human life and biodiversity. This past year, there were considerable signs of progress in the control of this atmospheric pollution to sensitize the public authorities and the population about the need to reduce the intensity of this pollution and its harmful effects. In this chapter, we reviewed this pollution, which is mostly ignored by governments for economic reasons and ignored by the overall public out of ignorance. Technological advances and public awareness campaigns of the overall public thus allowed and contributed to the design and production of the tools within an academic framework, making it possible to better evaluate and assess the quality of the air and its potential effects on humans and their environment. The sector of heavy industries associated with the services of transport and road traffic was the factor showing and inducing the greatest number of harmful environmental effects, with earlier occupants being more specialists, decision-makers, and the general population. The aim of this chapter book consists of summarizing this pollution, a long time ignored by decision-makers and the overall public, and synthetically and transparently evaluating the environmental effects of atmospheric pollutants with their collective and individual components, parts of which are professional or deprived and emitted via transport, industries, agriculture, and varied human activity.

In March 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) classified COVID-19 as a global pandemic, with the recommendation of social distancing to mitigate the spread of the virus. The reduction in vehicular traffic and industrial activities has resulted in a decline in the emission of certain atmospheric pollutants and greenhouse gases. Atmospheric pollution represents one of the significant challenges of present-day society, and in South America, it is one of the most persistent environmental issues. The COVID-19 measures implemented across the globe, such as imposing lockdowns, restricting movement, and adopting other containment strategies, resulted in a substantial reduction in energy consumption within the transportation sector. Brazil has limited access to electricity and heavily relies on traditional energy sources to meet its domestic energy demand. Biomass combustion, electricity consumption, and the transportation and industrial sectors play significant roles as major contributors to atmospheric pollution. To control and mitigate anthropogenic emissions it is essential to combine technical-scientific knowledge with legal measures. The present study aims to provide a comparative analysis of the concentration of nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), black carbon (BC), carbon monoxide (CO), sulfates (SO₄), and ozone (O₃) during the pre-pandemic and pandemic periods in Brazil, associated with changes in energy use. The series of compiled data provided by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) through the GIOVANNI platform enabled the analysis of the impact of pollutant levels, considering a time interval spanning from January to June of 2018, 2019, and 2020.

Environmental sanitation is a very crucial problem in a crowding world. Special attention to waste management is necessary in areas where intense production of any kind takes place: in agriculture, industry, mining, construction, too. Odor can be thought as the signal of the nature to warn us if microbial or chemical contamination risk is nearby. Public health and welfare can be sustained only by proper handling and management of wastes. In many cases, waste problems arise due to gas emissions, liquid discharges or solid disposal. Besides, they can co-exist and have the potential of converting into one another with or without human interference. They are accompanied by noxious and offensive odor releases in many cases. Odor, among several others, is a serious problem in solid waste disposal. Odor recognition by the population is likely in collecting, transferring, pre-screening and classification of solid wastes. Ultimate removal of the wastes at solid waste disposal units is an odorous operation, too. Leachates coming from different types of solid wastes may emit unacceptable odors. Odor detection is a subjective experience as it is based on human smelling ability. Its perception, therefore the level of complaint varies from one individual to another. It depends on the hedonic tone of the odor so it is subject to human preferences, too. If the intensity of the stimulant increases above a certain ceiling, it is possible that smelling ability is paralyzed temporarily or sometimes permanently. But the noxious odor problems around waste facilities are to be resolved as if the odor stimulation affects everybody alike. Normally an average smelling capacity is taken as the reference recognition level in odor studies. In practice there is no escaping from odorous gas releases at one or the other stage of the collection, handling and disposal of solid wastes. Odor characteristics and intensity differ from one step or method to another. Presently, odor control in waste management may be accomplished by state-of-the-art technologies. In the landfills these technologies may be applied on collected gas streams arising from anaerobic decomposition and continues with transfer, cleaning/separation, treatment, handling/storage at the landfill degasification systems and finally converted into heat and power. Odorous components are simply adsorbed by suitable cover materials or masked by deodorants. In older landfills fugitive landfill gas emissions may continue for a long time unless they are collected. In any case the wastes should not be disposed-off in wild storage areas and open or uncontrolled dumps without due care. When this happens, solid wastes have the worst impacts on the environment and public well-being. Unfortunately, in several cases acceptable methods of management of solid wastes are difficult to apply. So, public disputes and annoyance are seen frequently. To solve them it is recommended that more public participation such as through citizen science applications be applied to challenges of landfill.

Landfills continue to be a significant part of waste management strategies even though more waste is being reused, recycled, or energetically valorized. Due to its easy management and capacity for mass manipulation, the landfill is particularly important in many developing countries, where it serves as the primary method for the disposal of biodegradable waste. Recently, researches have demonstrated that landfills are a significant source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Leachate and gases are produced as a result of waste biodegradation in landfills. Methane and carbon dioxide, both significant greenhouse gases, are the main components of landfill gas. 20% of the world's anthropogenic methane emissions come from landfills. Additionally, it frequently contains a large number of additional gases, some of which are toxic, at low concentrations. These emissions may jeopardise both the quality of the environment and the public’s health. However, there aren’t many reviews in the related fields, so there isn’t a complete understanding of the engineered landfills’ emissions accumulation and their impacts on climate. This study provides comprehensive information on GHG emissions from landfills over the past 20 years and highlights the significance of creating and disseminating up-to-date knowledge frameworks in light of the growing attention being paid to GHG emissions and their mitigation methods.

Methane is one of the main greenhouse gases (GHGs) that contributes considerably to global warming, thus being a major source of concern. GHGs entering the atmosphere are the primary cause of climate change globally, which is manifested in violent storms, increasing sea levels, and deluges. Waste dumping is considered one of the main sources of these gases due to the increased waste accumulation in landfills. As a result, landfill gas generation continues to be released into the atmosphere which contains mainly methane and carbon dioxide. The potential of dust emission into the atmosphere is also significant because of different waste management activities. This review attempts to outline landfill emissions quantification methods and factors, as well as their potential control options by primarily focusing on methane and dust emissions.

The waste burial was carried out precariously for a long time without any constraint or control of the different categories of waste stored and buried. The consequences are severe pollution, particularly of the air with olfactory or visual nuisances. Study the air quality around technical landfills involves, on the one hand, evaluating and locating as best as possible the atmospheric emissions generated by its operation and, on the other hand, addressing the question of potential or actual nuisances and / or risks for residents. This work aims to assess the impacts of technical landfill centers for household and similar waste on the air. The study showed that technical landfill centers have considerable impacts on the air, particularly the release of biogas produced during the fermentation of waste and leachate, the presence of pathogenic microorganisms in the air, etc. These pollutants harm air quality, human health, and environmental balance. Health effects, ranging from respiratory problems to cardiovascular diseases, highlight the urgency of mitigating this threat. The environmental impact of air pollution from landfills also extends to biodiversity, soils, and aquatic ecosystems, compromising the sustainability of our ecosystems. Furthermore, the economic fallout is considerable, increasing public health costs, hampering industrial development, and requiring investments to address climate change and environmental disasters.

Biogas production is a sustainable and renewable process that converts organic waste into energy. This process involves the anaerobic digestion of organic materials such as agricultural waste, food waste, and sewage sludge, resulting in the production of biogas, which is mainly composed of methane and carbon dioxide. Biogas can be used as a source of renewable energy for electricity and heat production or as a transportation fuel. The production of biogas has various environmental benefits. Firstly, it reduces greenhouse gas emissions by capturing methane, which is a potent greenhouse gas, and using it as a fuel instead of releasing it into the atmosphere. Secondly, it provides an alternative to fossil fuels, reducing reliance on non-renewable energy sources. Thirdly, the production of biogas can reduce waste volumes and the need for landfill sites, leading to a reduction in environmental pollution. However, there are also potential negative environmental impacts associated with biogas production. For example, the production of biogas can lead to nutrient leaching and contamination of nearby water sources if not managed correctly. Additionally, the use of certain feedstocks, such as crops grown specifically for biogas production, can lead to land-use changes and biodiversity loss. Overall, biogas production has the potential to provide a sustainable source of energy while reducing greenhouse gas emissions and waste volumes. However, it is important to carefully manage the environmental impacts associated with biogas production to ensure its long-term sustainability.

Methane emissions from landfills are a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions and climate change. This article, hence, presents strategies for landfill gas collection systems aimed at improving methane recovery. A comparative analysis of gas collection system designs, including horizontal, vertical, and slotted wells, is presented. Additionally, the utilization of vacuum-assisted gas collection systems and gas permeable barriers is discussed, highlighting the potential benefits and drawbacks of each approach. Challenges and opportunities in implementing innovative landfill gas collection systems are discussed, including technical, regulatory, and financial aspects. Collaboration between stakeholders is emphasized as crucial for the successful implementation and operation of these systems. The potential of innovative landfill gas collection systems for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from landfills is highlighted, and a call to action for further research and implementation of these approaches is made. This article provides valuable information for researchers, practitioners, and policymakers interested in sustainable waste management and climate change mitigation.

The integration of waste management and air pollution control strategies is essential for sustainable landfill management. Landfill sites are a significant source of air pollution, and current waste management practices and air pollution control technologies have limitations in reducing emissions. This article provides an overview of current practices and challenges in landfill management and discusses principles of sustainable landfill management. The article identifies key opportunities for integrating waste management and air pollution control strategies, including innovative approaches to landfill design and operation and advanced air pollution control technologies. The benefits of integrated strategies are discussed, including reduction of air pollution and associated health risks, energy recovery, and greenhouse gas emissions reduction, as well as economic and social benefits. Finally, the article presents challenges to the implementation of integrated strategies and identifies future research directions, emerging technologies, and trends. This article provides valuable information for researchers, policymakers, and decision-makers interested in sustainable waste management and air pollution control.

A modern landfill is an engineered method for depositing waste in specially constructed and protected cells on the land surface or in excavations into the land surface. Despite the fact that an increasing amount of waste is reused, recycled or energetically valorized, landfills still play an important role in waste management strategies. The degradation of wastes in the landfill results in the production of leachate and gases. These harmful gases are the potential threats to the human and animals’ health as well as degraded the natural environment. The leachate from landfill is rich in organic, inorganic and suspended particles which may cause threat to ecosystem. Engineered method landfill gas consists mainly of methane and carbon dioxide, both important greenhouse gases. This chapter recommends an engineered landfill design helpful for landfill gas generation which replaces the fossil fuel as a compressed natural gas or liquefied natural gas. Finally, the impact of these released gaseous emissions has been analyzed completely and this review is complemented with suggestions to minimize the environmental burden of landfills and to re-introduce the buried resources to the material cycle.

Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) refers to the waste generated by households, commercial establishments, institutions, and other non-industrial sources. The characteristics and impacts of MSW are of significant concern due to their environmental, social, and economic implications. This abstract provides an overview of the key characteristics and impacts associated with MSW. MSW is a complex mixture comprising various components such as organic waste, paper, plastic, glass, metals, textiles, and hazardous materials. The composition of MSW varies across regions, influenced by factors like population density, lifestyle patterns, and waste management practices. The organic fraction, including food waste, is a substantial component of MSW and contributes to the generation of greenhouse gases when disposed of in landfills. Improper management of MSW can lead to severe environmental consequences. Landfilling is a common disposal method, which results in the release of greenhouse gases (methane and carbon dioxide) into the atmosphere. These gases contribute to climate change and global warming. Additionally, landfills can contaminate soil and water resources, posing risks to ecosystems and human health. The presence of hazardous materials and improper handling of MSW can pose health risks to both waste handlers and the general population. Exposure to harmful substances from waste, such as heavy metals or toxic chemicals, can lead to various health problems, including respiratory issues, skin diseases, and long-term chronic illnesses. MSW management has significant economic implications. Inefficient waste management practices can result in increased costs for waste collection, transportation, and disposal. Recycling and resource recovery from MSW can provide economic opportunities through the creation of jobs, the production of renewable energy, and the generation of secondary raw materials. The social impacts of MSW are diverse and multifaceted. Poor waste management practices can contribute to the degradation of local aesthetics, leading to a decline in the quality of life for residents. Inadequate waste collection and disposal systems can disproportionately affect marginalized communities, exacerbating social inequalities. Effective waste management strategies, on the other hand, can promote community engagement, environmental awareness, and sustainable development. Understanding the characteristics and impacts of MSW is crucial for developing effective waste management strategies. By implementing sustainable practices such as waste reduction, recycling, composting, and resource recovery, the environmental, social, and economic burdens associated with MSW can be minimized. Integrated waste management approaches that prioritize waste prevention, reuse, and recycling can contribute to a healthier environment and a more sustainable future.