Landfills do not stand still. Waste placement changes site conditions every day; infrastructure ages; regulations evolve; and nearby communities expect operators to manage odors, emissions, traffic, and long-term site performance responsibly. Without a clear master plan, landfill owners can find themselves reacting to urgent problems instead of making phased, cost-effective decisions.
That is why landfill master planning is more than an engineering exercise. It is a business discipline. A strong plan brings together airspace management, cell development, permitting, stormwater, leachate, landfill gas systems, closure and post-closure obligations, capital planning, and operations into one practical roadmap.
What a Master Plan Helps Operators See
The value of master planning starts with visibility. Operators need to know how much airspace remains, when the next cell must be designed and permitted, whether existing infrastructure can support future filling, and how regulatory requirements may affect near- and long-term spending. When that information is organized in one place, decision-makers can plan ahead rather than scramble when capacity, compliance, or equipment issues become urgent.
The same discipline applies to landfill gas systems. Gas collection infrastructure must keep pace with waste placement, settlement, liquids, flare capacity, energy recovery opportunities, and changing emissions rules. A landfill gas master plan helps answer a simple but important question: will the system be ready for the next decade?
Planning Turns Risk into Action
The best plans do not sit on a shelf. They help landfill teams prioritize projects, sequence capital investments, anticipate permitting timelines, and coordinate engineering with daily operations. They also support a clearer financial strategy for closure, post-closure care, equipment replacement, regulatory compliance, odor control, emissions management, and community relations.
For owners and operators, the takeaway is straightforward: proactive planning protects site life, reduces surprises, and gives teams more control over technical, regulatory, and financial decisions. The earlier planning begins—and the more consistently it is updated—the better prepared a site will be for what comes next.
Read the Full Article
For a deeper look at landfill master planning, landfill gas system planning, modeling, liquids management, flares, permitting, and long-term budgeting, read the full article “Why Landfill Master Planning Is Essential for Long-Term Site Performance” and explore the related solid waste planning resources below.
Additional Solid Waste and Landfill Master Planning Resources:
What Wastewater Utilities, Farmers, and Regulators Need to Know
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has taken another significant step in addressing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the environment. On July 1, 2026, the EPA Office of Water released its Draft Guidance for Reducing Risk from PFOA and PFOS in Biosolids, opening a public comment period and inviting stakeholders to provide feedback on potential approaches for managing these persistent chemicals in sewage sludge and biosolids.
The draft guidance is designed to help wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), biosolids managers, landowners, farmers, state and Tribal agencies, and other stakeholders evaluate voluntary measures that may reduce exposure risks associated with two well-known PFAS compounds: perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS).
Why This Guidance Matters
PFAS, often called “forever chemicals,” have become a major focus of environmental regulation due to their persistence, mobility, and potential health impacts. While wastewater treatment plants do not manufacture PFAS, they often receive PFAS-containing wastewater from industrial, commercial, and residential sources. As a result, PFAS can accumulate in biosolids produced during wastewater treatment.
The EPA’s draft guidance reflects growing concerns about how PFOA and PFOS may affect soil, water, crops, livestock, and human health when biosolids are beneficially used via land application. Although the guidance is voluntary and does not establish new regulatory requirements, it signals the agency’s continuing efforts to address PFAS risks and may help shape future policy decisions.
What’s Included in the Draft Guidance?
According to the EPA, the draft document provides recommendations that may help stakeholders identify and implement practices to reduce potential risks associated with PFOA and PFOS in biosolids management.
The guidance is intended for:
The document outlines voluntary approaches that stakeholders may consider when making decisions about the treatment, handling, and use of sewage sludge and biosolids.
Importantly, the EPA notes that public feedback on the draft may help inform future agency actions related to PFAS and biosolids management.
Public Comment Period Extended
Stakeholders have until October 5, 2026, to submit comments on the draft guidance. The comment period was extended from the agency’s original deadline, providing additional time for utilities, industry groups, agricultural organizations, regulators, and other interested parties to review the document and provide input.
Given the potential implications for wastewater utilities and biosolids programs nationwide, organizations may want to carefully evaluate the recommendations and consider how they could affect current and future management practices.
Key Resources
EPA has made the draft guidance and supporting materials available through its public docket:
Looking Ahead
While the guidance is not regulatory, it represents another milestone in the EPA’s broader PFAS strategy and underscores the agency’s continued focus on biosolids management. Wastewater utilities, municipalities, agricultural stakeholders, and environmental practitioners should monitor developments closely and consider participating in the public comment process.
As the EPA evaluates stakeholder feedback, the guidance could influence future approaches to PFAS risk management, biosolids programs, and wastewater sector compliance planning across the United States. To learn more about how this could impact your facility, contact the experts at SCS Engineers.
Comment deadline: October 5, 2026. Stakeholders interested in providing feedback can submit comments through the EPA public docket.
SCS Engineers announces that Peter J. “Pete” Carrico, a Senior Vice President and Business Unit Director of SCS Field Services, will receive the Solid Waste Association of North America’s Landfill Gas and Biogas Division Hall of Flame Award. The award recognizes individuals who have made significant and sustained contributions to the landfill gas and biogas industry.
Carrico has spent more than 40 years helping build, operate, troubleshoot, and advance landfill gas systems across North America. He joined SCS in 1985, the same year SCS Field Services was established as a division of SCS Engineers, beginning his career with the firm on a landfill gas project. Since then, he has progressed from field technician to senior executive, helping lead an operations, maintenance, and monitoring practice that supports landfill owners and operators nationwide.
“I am honored to be recognized with the Hall of Flame Award. My more than 40-year career with SCS Engineers in the landfill gas industry has been greatly enriched by the friendships and professional relationships I have built with colleagues at SCS and throughout the industry. SWANA has played an important role in that journey, providing opportunities to collaborate, learn, and engage with some of the brightest minds in the landfill gas field. For that, I am sincerely grateful,” said Pete.
Throughout his career, Carrico has contributed to the industry’s technical development through recurring authorship and presentations at SWANA’s Annual Landfill Gas Symposium. His work has addressed topics central to modern landfill gas practice, including emissions, monitoring, condensate treatment, migration control, data management, temporary flaring, and inspection technology.
In addition to his technical leadership, Carrico has served the profession through SWANA’s Virginia Old Dominion Chapter and recently retired as Co-Chair of the Landfill Gas and Biogas Division Awards Committee, helping to recognize industry excellence and support knowledge sharing among solid waste professionals.
Clients and colleagues know Carrico as a practical problem-solver, mentor, and trainer with deep field experience that translates to operational efficiency. Through his leadership at SCS, he has helped strengthen operating practices, site-specific system performance, and safety and technical training for landfill gas professionals.
“Pete represents exactly what the Hall of Flame honors — career-long service, technical excellence, operational leadership, and a deep commitment to sharing knowledge,” said SCS CEO Doug Doerr. “We are grateful for his contributions to our clients, our colleagues, SWANA, and the landfill gas profession.”
SCS Engineers congratulates Carrico on this well-deserved recognition and celebrates his lasting impact on the landfill gas and biogas industry. Say hello at RCon or visit SCS online.
As PFAS regulations, litigation, and site investigations continue to expand, environmental professionals need better data on how these compounds move through air, water, soil, and ecosystems. One important piece of that picture is now coming into focus: PFAS monitoring in precipitation.
The National Atmospheric Deposition Program (NADP), a long-term atmospheric deposition monitoring program, began developing a PFAS monitoring network in the late 2010s to help researchers and practitioners better understand how per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances move through the atmosphere and return to the environment through wet deposition.
After several years of planning, NADP established a provisional PFAS-NTN Subnetwork, known as PFN, on January 1, 2024. The network transitioned to an official NADP subnetwork in April 2026 after NADP finalized quality assurance documentation and standard operating procedures. The official network is designed to provide weekly concentrations and deposition fluxes for more than 40 PFAS compounds in precipitation.
Why does this matter?
According to NADP, PFAS in wet deposition can contribute to contamination of surface water, drinking water sources, soil, and vegetation. In some environments, atmospheric deposition may represent the largest source of PFAS to affected ecosystems. That makes atmospheric data increasingly relevant for evaluating background conditions, identifying potential transport pathways, and interpreting PFAS detections at regulated or investigated sites.
The network currently collects precipitation samples from monitoring sites across the United States. Those samples are analyzed for more than 40 PFAS constituents using isotope-dilution liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. NADP plans to post final PFAS concentration and deposition data publicly after laboratory quality assurance and quality control checks are complete.
For consultants, site owners, municipalities, utilities, and regulators, these data could become a valuable reference point. PFAS monitoring through NADP may help project teams distinguish local source impacts from broader atmospheric contributions, support conceptual site models, and provide additional lines of evidence when evaluating compliance monitoring data.
Action Items for Environmental Compliance in Industry and Municipalities
Additional Information about the PFAS monitoring program, including NADP standard operating procedures, is available here:
SCS Engineers announces expanded odor consulting and laboratory capabilities to help clients continue receiving specialized odor evaluation, monitoring, analysis, and control services as Odor Science & Engineering, Inc. prepares to close. Odor Science & Engineering has recommended SCS Engineers to carry forward services many industrial and municipal clients have relied on for odor problem definition, odor sampling and analysis, ambient monitoring, staff training, and cost-effective odor control planning.
“Our clients have trusted Odor Science & Engineering for many years to provide objective, technically sound answers to challenging odor problems. It is important to me that, as OS&E winds down its operations, our clients have access to a team that understands the science of odor and shares our commitment to practical, defensible solutions. I am confident that SCS Engineers is the right organization to carry this work forward, and I am pleased to recommend SCS to our clients and colleagues.” OS&E President, Martha O’Brien.
Both firms are recognized leaders in specialized odor consulting, whose work has helped clients define odor issues, establish control requirements, design control systems, conduct odor emission sampling, complete odor panel analysis, monitor ambient odors, and train client staff in odor investigation and monitoring procedures.
SCS Engineers’ expanded services will support both existing and new facilities. For existing operations, SCS helps diagnose and solve odor issues by identifying contributing sources, determining the level of control needed, and developing practical, cost-effective control strategies. For new facilities, SCS supports the design of ventilation and odor-control systems to help prevent odor impacts once operations begin.
The transition strengthens SCS’s existing capabilities in odor management, ambient air monitoring, air quality, and environmental compliance. SCS applies field, laboratory, and modeling methods to detect, measure, and predict fugitive chemical and odor impacts. The team supports clients with odor assessments, odor dispersion modeling, complaint data analysis, smoke release studies, field and laboratory olfactometry, tracer studies, source sampling, air monitoring, and mitigation planning.
“Odor issues are highly site-specific, often technically complex, and important to communities, facility owners, and regulators,” said SCS Vice President and National Expert on Ambient Air Monitoring and Odor Impact Assessment, Paul Schafer. “By expanding our odor laboratory and consulting capabilities, SCS is positioned to provide continuity for OS&E clients while offering the national reach and multidisciplinary environmental expertise our clients need.”
SCS’s odor work serves a broad range of industrial and municipal settings, including landfills, composting facilities, wastewater treatment plants, food processing operations, manufacturing facilities, oil and gas operations, cannabis cultivation facilities, and other industrial sites where odor emissions, nuisance concerns, regulatory requirements, or public complaints require objective investigation and defensible solutions.
Current and prospective clients seeking odor consulting support can contact SCS Engineers to discuss service continuity, project transition needs, laboratory analysis, field investigations, odor control planning, or staff training.
Based on SCS’s free webinar Landfill and Facility Surface Fire Prevention and discussion with Jeff Phillips, SCS Engineers, and Ken Miller, Dubuque Metropolitan Area Solid Waste Agency.
Why do solid waste facilities need a surface fire plan?
Fires are common at landfills, transfer stations, material recovery facilities, composting areas, and related infrastructure. A surface fire plan helps facilities prepare before an incident occurs, define roles, coordinate with emergency responders, identify resources, and reduce confusion during an emergency. The goal is to fight fires safely, quickly, and effectively before they grow into larger incidents.
What is the biggest benefit of having a surface fire plan?
The biggest benefit is preparation. A plan allows facility staff and emergency responders to stay calm, understand their roles, and act quickly instead of trying to make decisions in the middle of an emergency. It also helps prevent fires from getting worse while teams determine what resources are needed.
What types of facilities can benefit from a surface fire plan?
Surface fire planning benefits landfills, transfer stations, material recovery facilities, composting operations, maintenance areas, fuel storage areas, and other solid waste facility infrastructure. Fires can occur in incoming loads, working faces, containers, equipment, structures, debris piles, and vehicles, so planning should address the full facility, not only the landfill cell.
What commonly causes fires at solid waste facilities?
Common causes include chemical reactions between materials, sparks from equipment, arson, lightning, burn barrels, rekindled fires, rapid settlement, hot loads, incoming vehicles, and lithium-ion batteries or battery-containing devices. Vapes, phones, laptops, power tools, game controllers, battery packs, smoke alarms, and other devices with embedded batteries are an increasing concern because they can enter the waste or recycling stream unnoticed.
Why are lithium-ion batteries such a concern?
Lithium-ion batteries are increasingly embedded in everyday products and can ignite when damaged, crushed, compacted, or exposed to certain conditions. Because many battery-containing devices are small or difficult to identify in the waste stream, they can reach landfills, transfer stations, or recycling facilities before staff knows they are present. Outreach, source separation, collection programs, and policy solutions can help, but facilities still need fire response plans because not every battery will be captured.
What should be included in a facility fire plan?
A fire plan should describe the facility, identify immediate recommendations, include emergency contacts and vendors, provide current facility maps, outline likely fire scenarios, define roles and responsibilities, address the National Incident Management System, identify resources, and document health and safety considerations. Useful plans also include tear-out sheets, water supply information, access routes, utility shutoffs, communication channels, equipment needs, and after-action report procedures.
Why is coordination with the fire department important?
Fire departments may not be familiar with the unique risks of landfills, transfer stations, and material recovery facilities. Planning helps responders understand site access, working areas, water availability, facility hazards, landfill gas systems, confined spaces, heavy equipment, and command structure. It also gives facility staff and responders time to test communication systems, resolve interoperability issues, and agree on how they will work together before an emergency occurs.
How often should facilities train on their fire plan?
Training should occur regularly, not just when the plan is written or updated. The webinar emphasized annual training so new facility staff, paid fire department personnel, and volunteer responders can rotate through the program. Facilities should also conduct after-action reviews after fires and complete broader plan reviews every few years or when operations, equipment, risks, or response resources change.
What should facilities do after a fire?
Facilities should document what happened, complete an after-action review, identify what went well, determine what could improve, update the fire plan, and share useful lessons with responders and industry peers. Documenting even small fires can reveal patterns, identify problematic materials or generators, support better planning, and provide data for regulators, legislators, and industry organizations.
What resources should be identified before an incident?
Facilities should identify water sources, hydrant locations, tender operations, dirt or cover material stockpiles, equipment, lighting, fuel, radios, portable restrooms, traffic control, contractor support, and specialized services such as thermal imaging or aerial water support where applicable. For landfills, the webinar strongly recommended maintaining enough dirt near the working face at the end of each day to cover the area quickly if an overnight fire occurs.
What role does technology play in fire prevention and response?
Technology can help detect fires earlier and support faster response. Examples discussed include thermal camera systems, FLIR cameras, tower cameras, drones, automated detection systems, AI-powered identification systems, and automatic turret fire suppression systems. These tools can help confirm whether a fire is real, locate hotspots, guide responders, and keep fires smaller until the fire department arrives. Facilities should also maintain and test these systems so they do not create a false sense of security.
Are heat detection and automatic fire suppression systems useful for transfer stations and material recovery facilities?
Yes. Heat detection and automatic turret fire suppression systems can be especially valuable in enclosed or semi-enclosed facilities. Early detection and targeted suppression can keep a fire small, protect the building, and give the fire department time to arrive and complete suppression. These systems may also be useful to discuss with insurance carriers as part of a facility’s risk management strategy.
What PPE should landfill staff or equipment operators use during fire response?
Operator protection is a significant concern. Enclosed cabs and standard filters may reduce particulates, but they may not fully protect against smoke or organic compounds. The webinar discussed the potential use of powered air respirators with HEPA and carbon filtration, along with the need to make equipment available, train operators, and define when operators should disengage and obtain additional protection. Facilities should also consider decontamination procedures for equipment after a fire.
How should facilities handle health checks after a fire?
Post-event health checks should include both firefighters and facility operators. In the webinar, Ken Miller described adding operator health checks after a large fire in which an operator needed monitoring for smoke exposure and stress. Including operators in post-fire health screenings can help identify health concerns before staff leave the site.
What should facilities do about lithium battery recycling and public outreach?
Facilities should work with solid waste agencies, state regulators, manufacturers, retailers, and local partners to promote battery and battery-containing device collection. Outreach should clarify that “battery recycling” does not mean placing batteries in curbside recycling carts. Batteries and embedded battery products often need source-separated collection and special management to keep them out of waste and recycling streams.
How can policy help reduce facility fire risks?
Policy can support better management of batteries and battery-containing devices before they reach solid waste facilities. The webinar emphasized the importance of reviewing state legislation, advocating for extended producer responsibility or similar programs, and ensuring policies address both loose batteries and batteries embedded in products. Whether loose or embedded, batteries can create fire risks if they enter the waste or recycling stream.
What is the key takeaway for facility owners and operators?
Facility fires are a matter of when, not if. The best-prepared facilities document incidents, build relationships with responders, maintain current fire plans, train regularly, identify resources in advance, protect staff, and continuously improve after each event. Planning does not eliminate fires, but it helps teams respond faster, safer, and more effectively.
When a land trust, public agency, or community partner works to preserve open space, the public often sees the result: protected habitat, new recreational access, or cultural resources safeguarded for future generations. Less visible—but just as important—is the environmental due diligence that happens behind the scenes.
Environmental site assessments, All Appropriate Inquiries, and remediation planning help buyers and public-sector partners understand a property’s history, identify potential environmental liabilities, and determine whether land can be safely transferred, conserved, restored, or opened for public use.
Conservation Begins with Knowing the Land
Recent projects in Arizona show how environmental due diligence supports land preservation. SCS Engineers has conducted five Phase I Environmental Site Assessments for Trust for Public Land in recent years, helping evaluate environmental concerns before real estate transactions move forward. These assessments found no need for additional assessment, supporting preservation efforts that include culturally and ecologically significant land along the Lower Gila River and acreage connected to Saguaro National Park.
That early review matters because public land acquisitions often involve properties with long and complex histories. Former agricultural, ranching, industrial, mining, or developed sites may carry environmental questions that must be answered before a nonprofit, municipality, federal agency, or other public entity assumes ownership or stewardship responsibilities.
Environmental Due Diligence Reduces Risk and Supports Public Trust
Environmental due diligence is more than a transaction requirement. It is a practical risk-management tool that helps protect public dollars, project schedules, and long-term stewardship goals. Through Phase I Environmental Site Assessments and All Appropriate Inquiries, environmental professionals review historical records, inspect properties and adjoining land, evaluate regulatory records, and identify recognized environmental conditions that could affect acquisition, funding, liability, or future use.
For land trusts and public agencies, this process helps answer critical questions: Is the property suitable for transfer? Could contamination create unexpected cleanup costs? Are additional investigations needed? Can the buyer qualify for landowner liability protections? The answers help decision-makers proceed with confidence and avoid turning a conservation win into an unmanaged environmental obligation.
Environmental Due Diligence Resources:
SCS Engineers is excited to attend WEFTEC 2026, taking place September 26 -30 at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. As the world’s largest annual water quality conference, WEFTEC brings together more than 23,000 water professionals, 950 exhibitors, and industry leaders to explore innovative technologies, practical solutions, and the future of water and wastewater management.
Members of the SCS team will be on site to connect with industry professionals, exchange ideas, and discuss the latest trends and challenges shaping the water and wastewater sector. We look forward to engaging with attendees, strengthening industry relationships, and sharing how SCS helps clients navigate complex environmental, water, and infrastructure challenges.
Senior Vice President Pat Sullivan announces a key leadership transition; Vidhya Viswanathan, previously SCS’s Director of Engineering in the Southwest, now assumes responsibility for the strategic direction and operational oversight of the Solid Waste Group, including the Engineering, Sustainable Materials Management, and Permitting and Compliance teams.
Vidhya has significantly advanced SCS’s solid waste engineering operations across the Southwest and influenced industry standards nationwide. Her leadership in technical areas like landfill gas engineering and composting demonstrates her exceptional expertise and dedication.
Vidhya began her career with the City of Lawton, Oklahoma, joining SCS in 2012 as a Young Professional and recognized regionally and nationally with prestigious awards. Now an SCS mentor with 20 years of experience in the solid waste and environmental consulting industry, she shares her knowledge and skills with young staff members as she progresses through leadership roles at SCS, including Senior Vice President and SCS Board Member. She is a licensed Professional Engineer in California, Arizona, Nevada, and Oklahoma and is based in SCS’s San Diego office.
Vidhya exemplifies the next generation of SCS leadership, combining strong technical expertise, a commitment to quality, and a proven ability to develop teams and deliver exceptional client service. Her vision and leadership are poised to enhance our service offerings, strengthen industry collaborations, and support SCS’s continued top ranking by ENR in the Waste Management industry.
Please join SCS in congratulating Vidhya on her promotion and new leadership role. We look forward to her guiding strategic initiatives that will advance our industry expertise and client solutions in the coming years.
SCS Engineers will sponsor and exhibit at The 35th Annual Environmental Law Conference at Yosemite this October 15th – 18th at Tenaya Lodge in Fish Camp, CA. The 35h Annual Environmental Law Conference at Yosemite brings together California’s top leaders in environmental, land use, and natural resources law. It’s the largest and most prestigious event of its kind in the state. We hope you will join us and many of our nation’s top environmental officials, lawyers, and other professionals for four days of legal education and collegiality. Mark your calendars!
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