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Risk-Based Prioritization Method for the Classification of Groundwater Pollution from Hazardous Waste Landfills

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Abstract

Hazardous waste landfill sites are a significant source of groundwater pollution. To ensure that these landfills with a significantly high risk of groundwater contamination are properly managed, a risk-based ranking method related to groundwater contamination is needed. In this research, a risk-based prioritization method for the classification of groundwater pollution from hazardous waste landfills was established. The method encompasses five phases, including risk pre-screening, indicator selection, characterization, classification and, lastly, validation. In the risk ranking index system employed here, 14 indicators involving hazardous waste landfills and migration in the vadose zone as well as aquifer were selected. The boundary of each indicator was determined by K-means cluster analysis and the weight of each indicator was calculated by principal component analysis. These methods were applied to 37 hazardous waste landfills in China. The result showed that the risk for groundwater contamination from hazardous waste landfills could be ranked into three classes from low to high risk. In all, 62.2 % of the hazardous waste landfill sites were classified in the low and medium risk classes. The process simulation method and standardized anomalies were used to validate the result of risk ranking; the results were consistent with the simulated results related to the characteristics of contamination. The risk ranking method was feasible, valid and can provide reference data related to risk management for groundwater contamination at hazardous waste landfill sites.

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Acknowledgments

This research has been financially supported by National High-tech Research and Development Program of the People’s Republic of China (The 863 Program; Grant No. 2012AA062603).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. A State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, 100012, China

    Yu Yang, Bei-Dou Xi & Da An

  2. State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Simulation and Control of Groundwater Pollution, Beijing, 100012, China

    Yong-Hai Jiang & Zhi-fei Ma

  3. Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, No.8 Dayangfang, Anwai, Beijing, 100012, P.R. China

    Xin-Ying lian & Xiang-Jian Xu

Authors
  1. Yu Yang
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  2. Yong-Hai Jiang
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  3. Xin-Ying lian
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  4. Bei-Dou Xi
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  5. Zhi-fei Ma
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  6. Xiang-Jian Xu
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  7. Da An
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Correspondence to Bei-Dou Xi.

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Yang, Y., Jiang, YH., lian, XY. et al. Risk-Based Prioritization Method for the Classification of Groundwater Pollution from Hazardous Waste Landfills. Environmental Management 58, 1046–1058 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-016-0749-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-016-0749-4

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