Incinerator bottom ash for landfill construction

In a modern industrial society, many millions of tons of waste are produced every year. If waste cannot be avoided, it should be recycled as far as possible. And only waste that cannot be avoided or recycled must be disposed of. These principles are the basis of the EU waste regulations. Today, a relevant proportion is recycled thanks to modern environmental technology. But at the same time it becomes clear that waste disposal cannot be dispensed with in principle.

Landfill management, planning and construction

Companies that operate landfills bear long-lasting responsibility for the safety of the environment, from the planning phase to the actual operation and eventual closure of the site. Besides ensuring that adequate resource plans are in place, one of the day-to-day tasks of running a landfill is to make sure that all activities are carried out and documented in accordance with technical and legal requirements. This additionally provides transparency for all stakeholders, including residents and communities.

According to the Landfill Directive, all landfill sites shall be classified into one of the following classes:

  • Landfill for hazardous waste
  • Landfill for non-hazardous waste
  • Landfill for inert waste

The class influences the required structural and monitoring measures at the landfill site. Over-ground landfill sites are generally built based on the multi-barrier principle, encapsulating the waste. Each barrier is meant to provide sufficient protection of the environment from the possible adverse effects of waste.

The complexity of construction depends on the materials to be landfilled. Technical requirements concerning the construction cover issues such as stability, emission control or the integration into the local landscape. 

Application in landfill construction

Follow the link below to learn more about the landfill principle of waste encapsulation and about the use of incinerator bottom ash as construction material for landfill sites.