Landfill Design and Operations Flashcards
7 cards from real CPWM practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Landfill Design and Operations flashcards as text
What is the design life requirement for post-closure care at a municipal solid waste landfill under federal regulations?
Answer: 30 years
RCRA Subtitle D requires a minimum 30-year post-closure care period, though states may require longer periods based on site-specific conditions.
Which of the following is NOT a required component of a landfill's post-closure care plan?
Answer: Resumption of waste acceptance for beneficial reuse
Post-closure care includes cover maintenance, groundwater monitoring, and leachate management, but waste acceptance is permanently prohibited once closure is certified.
What type of financial assurance mechanism allows a landfill owner to self-fund closure costs by depositing funds into a dedicated trust over the life of the facility?
Answer: Closure trust fund
A closure trust fund requires annual contributions so that, at the time of closure, sufficient funds are available to complete closure and post-closure activities without reliance on external credit.
Bioreactor landfills differ from conventional MSW landfills primarily because they:
Answer: Deliberately recirculate leachate to accelerate waste decomposition
Bioreactor landfills intentionally recirculate leachate (and sometimes add liquids) to maintain optimal moisture for microbial activity, accelerating waste stabilization and gas generation.
What is the minimum thickness of low-permeability soil required in the final cover barrier layer under 40 CFR Part 258?
Answer: 18 inches
The final cover barrier layer must be at least 18 inches of compacted soil with hydraulic conductivity ≤1×10⁻⁷ cm/s, or an equivalent geomembrane alternative.
A landfill is located within 10,000 feet of an airport used by turbojet aircraft. What operational restriction applies?
Answer: The landfill must demonstrate it will not increase bird hazards to aircraft
Federal regulations prohibit siting or operating MSW landfills within 10,000 feet of airports serving turbojet aircraft unless the owner demonstrates the site won't pose a bird-strike hazard.
Which analytical parameter is most indicative of fresh leachate contamination in downgradient groundwater monitoring wells at a young MSW landfill?
Answer: Total dissolved solids and chloride
High total dissolved solids (TDS) and chloride are conservative tracers commonly used to detect fresh leachate in groundwater because they are mobile and do not readily attenuate.