Landfills: The Global Challenge We Can No Longer Ignore

Each year, an astonishing volume of waste is produced, and while we've embraced the concept of the 4Rs – Reduce, Recycle, Reuse, and Repair, the question remains: are we truly embodying these principles? According to a United Nations report, only a mere 20 percent of e-waste undergoes formal recycling. Meanwhile, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) reports that a mere 9 percent of plastic is recycled. When we broaden our perspective globally, a mere 12 percent of textiles are recycled. So, where does the majority of this waste end up? Simple answer is Landfill.

To fully understand the scenario, it is necessary to classify the various kinds of waste that end up at landfill. This waste includes municipal waste, industrial waste ranging from e-waste to scrap materials, sanitary waste (including menstrual products, sexual health products, and diapers), agricultural waste (including empty pesticide and weedicide containers), and waste from the hospitality industry. As these diverse types of waste converge and are exposed to the cyclical forces of heat and rain, it is not uncommon for contaminants to infiltrate and affect the surrounding ecosystem. While this represents one facet of the problem, the other dimension concerns the allocation of land and space for such waste disposal.

As we commit to mitigating methane emissions, our primary emphasis tends to center around emissions stemming from agriculture, pastoral activities, and the energy industry. Technological solutions are sought to address and reduce these emissions. However, when we turn our attention to methane emissions originating from landfills, the discourse often revolves around solutions like source segregation, which is undoubtedly the most effective approach but faces significant practical challenges. Public engagement and awareness are notably lacking in this regard, and waste collection agencies often lack the necessary resources, both in terms of manpower and operational hours, to implement source segregation effectively.

Some other major issue surrounding landfills:

1. Fire in landfills (a common issue in Indian Subcontinent and African Continent): Fires in landfills can be categorized into two main types: surface fires and deep-seated fires. Firefighters often face greater challenges when dealing with deep-seated fires. An illustrative case occurred in March 2023 in Kerala, India when a landfill site in the state ignited. It took nearly 14 days for the responsible agencies to bring the fire under control. During this time, the affected districts were placed under mandatory lockdown measures, resulting in the closure of schools, workplaces, and the relocation of hospital patients to safer areas. Throughout the landfill fire incident, the Air Quality Index (AQI) soared to a hazardous level, exceeding a reading of 350, indicating that the air quality was severely compromised. Similar incident is currently happening in Bali, Indonesia.
2. Leaching of heavy metals from landfills: The decomposition of waste in landfills, often facilitated by rain and moisture, leads to the leaching of heavy metals and chemicals directly into the soil. This, in turn, contaminates groundwater and nearby water streams. For instance, the Bhalswa Landfill in Delhi, India, a 60 meter garbage mountain, conducted tests on groundwater within a 150-meter radius of the landfill. The results revealed elevated levels of heavy metals such as Lead and Cadmium. The permissible limit for Cadmium, as specified by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), is 0.003 mg/litre, but the samples showed a concentration of 0.015 mg/litre. Similarly, for Lead, the permissible limit is 0.01 mg/litre, yet the samples exhibited a level of 0.26 mg/litre. Additionally, the samples contained a significantly higher level of total dissolved solids (TDS) - four times the permissible limit, which stands at 500 mg/litre. According to medical professionals and researchers, this water is deemed unsuitable for human use. A similar environmental crisis is unfolding at the Amin bazar landfill in Dhaka, Bangladesh. As we transition towards solar energy and battery-powered vehicles, it is imperative to establish a comprehensive waste management policy that addresses this critical issue.
3. Health hazards to the waste management worker on site: Workers on landfill sites play a vital role in manually sorting through the waste for recycling. However, these dedicated individuals often find themselves at the forefront of exposure to life-threatening diseases and infections. This risk arises from the presence of medical, sanitary, and chemical waste that frequently ends up in landfills. According to the findings of the Endocrine Society and the International Pollutants Elimination Network (IPEN), plastics have been shown to release hazardous chemicals into the environment. Among these chemicals are endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs), which have been linked to a range of health issues, including reduced fertility, pregnancy loss, irregular menstrual cycles, and other conditions. Additionally, these workers typically lack access to basic facilities such as washrooms and proper hand-cleaning resources. As a result, they are constantly vulnerable to diseases and infections, particularly as they handle sanitary waste without proper sanitation measures in place.

Indeed, the issues related to landfills are numerous and complex, encompassing environmental, health, and social concerns. Addressing these challenges calls for a multi-faceted approach. Essential efforts must be taken to mitigate the adverse impacts of landfills and transition towards more sustainable waste management practices.

Some of the tried and tested solution:

Legislative solutions 

• Imposing fines for non-segregation of waste. South Korea under its waste management rules can impose fines up to $900 on its citizen for not using officially issued plastic bags for waste disposal.
• Driving in citizens, NGOs and Private players, model as adopted by Indore Municipal organization of Madhya Pradesh, India. They successfully created a model which not provided D2D (Door-to-Door) model of segregated garbage collection but also generated energy from garbage which in turn generated revenue and reduced the landfill garbage mountain crisis.

Technological and Scientific solutions

• Waste to energy power plants.
  
  
  
• Plastic easting super worm, a research by Microbial Genomics, scientists from the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia. These insects can be a ray of hope in future. 
• Plastic waste pyrolysis oil plant, an South Korean model of plastic waste management.

Transnational laws on movement of garbage

• The Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal serves as a crucial international treaty to regulate the cross-border movement and disposal of hazardous waste. However, there is a growing need for a similar convention dedicated to the movement of non-hazardous waste. A compelling example of this necessity is the tire graveyard in Kuwait, which imports tires from the United States and Europe. These countries resort to exporting their tires to Kuwait due to stricter environmental regulations in their own nations. By having a convention such pollution export can be handled more efficiently. 

Landfills, with their detrimental environmental, health, and social consequences, represent a critical issue that must be tackled comprehensively. By implementing legislative measures, embracing cutting-edge technology, and advocating for international cooperation, we can transition towards a sustainable future that minimizes waste and maximizes resource utilization. Our actions today will define the well-being of our planet and shape the legacy we leave for generations to come. It's time to turn the tide and pave the way for a more waste-conscious world.