Environmental Impact Assessment Standards and Thresholds for Sanitary Landfills

Abstract

Municipal waste landfills represent a viable and quite commonly used method for domestic waste disposal even though the method has been used for centuries. Municipal waste landfills, at the same time, pose potentially adverse environmental impacts that need to be considered during the site selection process, landfill design, operational and post closure phases. An Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) study represents an effective tool built into the legislative process of many countries and institutions that can be used to identify potential adverse effects on human health, environment impacts and ecologic risks. The decision makers are able to review all the necessary data on potential impacts prior to project approval. In this manner appropriate remedial measures can be identified and implemented prior to the project start-up.