Fire mitigation planning and the impact on insurance at Colorado SWANA 2022 Conference.
Fires are occurring with increasing frequency in the solid waste and recycling industry. While fires are a serious safety risk to facility personnel and emergency responders, they pose an administrative risk as facilities struggle to keep or renew insurance policies. Learn how developing a fire mitigation plan and training can help prevent fires and keep them from escalating by identifying gaps in knowledge, resources, and communication between facility managers and emergency responders.
Jeff Phillips‘ presentation at the Colorado SWANA 2022 Conference will provide an update on fires within the industry so we can learn from other events (the good and bad). His presentation will also cover the benefits of having a fire mitigation plan, developing the plan and its components, the unique safety risks solid waste facilities pose to emergency responders, strategies to engage emergency response managers, and suggestions on how to “train the plan.”
Thursday, October 13, 2022
Breakout Session 12: Landfill Operations, 1:15pm-2:45pm
Landfill longevity, more airspace, reduce construction and OMM costs.
Thank you for your interest in Modern Landfill Design to Maximize Capital Investment Returns. We intend the blogs listed below to supplement the information covered or mentioned in the live session and video recording. Feel free to share the video and blog resources with others – we’ll protect your privacy!
As SCS employee-owners, we understand, better than most, that efficiencies create savings and value. Your Project Managers, Field Staff, and our presenters can answer specific questions or contact us at anytime. You can find our local professionals under the People tab and filter by specialty and office location.
Advice from the Field – Modern Landfill Design
Landfill Partial Final Covers and Associated Features Engineers weld the final cover geomembrane to the bottom lining system geomembrane for cases when there is a bottom lining system below the waste. The welding completely seals the landfill interior space from the outside environment and keeps regulated materials, such as waste, leachate, and gas, within the sealed system…
Standard Coordinate Systems for Landfill Topographic Maps Landfill engineers rely heavily on topographic maps in their design work. Topographic maps present elevation contours, known as contour lines, for changes in the ground surface. Surveying companies create contour …
Long-Term Performance of Landfill Final Covers There are several hundreds of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) landfills in the United States. Many of these landfills are anticipated to remain active …
Temporary Caps – Becoming a No-Brainer for Landfills Landfill slopes that have reached final grade or will receive waste in the distant future have maintenance challenges. Environmental elements continually affect surface conditions, and remedial work is required routinely …
Landfill Airspace – Are You Maximizing Your Greatest Asset? Landfills, especially large regional landfills, are huge enterprises with many different operations ongoing daily. A landfill’s tangible assets are equipment, buildings, machinery, construction materials …
Emerging Design Concepts to Facilitate Flow of Liquids on Landfills It’s basically a circular hole with a gravel pipe in the middle, constructed at different stages of landfill filling operations, which enables water to flow through quickly while removing gas. The first tier is typically installed over 100-80 feet of waste, and the next one over another 100-80 feet of waste with structures that connect the tiers. “How many tiers are installed depends on waste thickness at different locations within the landfill. It can go up to four or five tiers,” he says.
Landfill Gas Header: Location and Benefits By continuing to design gas header construction on landfill slopes, all of the components end up on the landfill slope as well. You can imagine what type of complications the landfill operator will face since all of these components are in areas vulnerable to erosion, settlement, future filling or future construction. Additionally, any maintenance requiring digging and re-piping necessitates placing equipment on the landfill slope and disturbing the landfill slope surface for an extended period.
Gas Removal from Leachate Collection Pipe and Leachate Sump Keeping gas pressure low in and around the leachate collection pipe promotes the free flow of leachate through the geocomposite or granular medium drainage layer to the leachate collection pipe and improves leachate removal from the disposal cell. Using gas removal piping at leachate sumps is highly recommended for warm or elevated temperature landfills where efficient leachate removal from the leachate collection system is another means for controlling landfill temperatures…
Leachate Force Main Casing Pipe and Monitoring for Leaks Landfill operators may add a casing pipe to their leachate force main for additional environmental protection. Consequently, the leachate force main is entirely located inside a casing pipe where the …
Landfill Designers Play an Important Role in Landfill Safety Today’s landfill design professionals can help eliminate unsafe configurations and institute features that can proactively warn of and minimize hazards for operator and customer safety. Designers consider subgrade conditions, geotechnical …
Landfill Disposal Cell Base Slope Design When geonets and geocomposites entered the market, the unwritten consensus among solid waste engineers and regulators was that the maximum head of leachate at the base should not exceed the thickness of the geonet or geocomposite drainage layer. With that in mind, the reduction in transmissivity of geocomposite laid over steeper slopes can adversely impact the maximum leachate head over the liner…
Addressing High Gas Pressure Near the Bottom of Landfills The pipes are extended to outer limits of the cell and to the top of the perimeter berm where they connect to a vacuum source. These pipes will successfully remove excess gas pressures that may develop near the bottom lining system and prevent adverse impacts of the high pressures on the free flow of leachate through the bottom lining system drainage layer.
Innovative Landfill Design Technologies and Industry Pioneers SCS Engineers is a leading environmental consulting and contracting firm with over 50 years of expertise in designing, permitting, constructing, and operating landfills. The firm is a pioneering force …
The world’s largest composting event, USCC Compost 2023, Jan 24-27 in Ontario, California, is the premiere professional meeting for composting, organics recycling, and related topics. SCS Engineers is sponsoring the State Chapter track, including the Networking Soiree on January 26.
Featured this year during Concurrent Session D1 California Track Regulatory Trends and Experience, on Wednesday, January 25 at 8:15 – 9:45 am is
Lessons Learned –1383 Compliancewith Srividhya Viswanathan. Vidhya and Michelle Leonard will illustrate SCS Engineers’ comprehensive planning process and tool, including a timeline, to achieve SB 1383 compliance. SB 1383 requires California to massively increase organic waste collection and recycling infrastructure in under ten years. The regulation requires a collective effort from entities, including jurisdictions, haulers, recyclers, and businesses, who will need to fund significant capital investments.
Find Additional Resources Below:
Compare and Contract Composting Systems VIDEO: Greg McCarron and Vidhya discuss managing tons of food scraps and other organic materials using different compost approaches. This forum is a resource for landfills, Solid Waste Departments, municipalities, and agencies working toward achieving waste diversion goals and lowering carbon footprints.
Composting Pilot Program: evaluate your organic waste streams and whether composting is a viable solution for your waste management program. The SCS pilot program includes everything you need to test before you invest.
Making Composting Work in High-Population Spaces: Managing hefty organic waste streams and associated costs while reaching lofty sustainability goals are among urban jurisdictions’ toughest pursuits. Some municipal solid waste operators set up local compost sites to help achieve these ambitions. They are finding other benefits along the way—from new, valuable products with a strong, local market to a way to …
California’s first fully solar-powered compost facility shines brightly: Republic Services’ Otay Compost Facility at the Chula Vista, California, Otay Landfill is open for business. The compost facility helps communities in San Diego County meet the requirements of California’s SB1383 law mandating the diversion of organic waste from landfills. The composting facility designed by SCS Engineers in collaboration with Sustainable Generation operates 100% on solar power …
Meet SCS Engineers professionals and visit us at BOOTH 111 at SWANA’s SOAR (Sustainability, Operations, Action, Resources) Conference, April 17-20, at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta.
SWANA’s new premier technical spring conference, themed “Technical Solutions for Resource Management,” will bring together industry professionals from ALL disciplines of the resource management community. Hear presentations by SCS professionals, including
Kelli Farmer: “From Drilling to Digesting: An Aerobic Digestion Feasibility Study” [Wed, April 19 (9:00 am – 9:45 am)]
Daniel Dietch (co-presenting with Kanika Greenlee, City of Atlanta, and Craig Wittig of The Recycling Partnership): “How Did Atlanta Do That: Improving Recycling Access, Participation, and Program Resiliency” [Wed, April 19 (10:00 am – 10:45 am)]
Nathan Hamm (co-presenting with Nathan Mayer of Solid Waste Authority of Palm Beach County and Manuel Hernandez (formerly of SCS) of Progressive Environmental Services): “Leachate Treatment and System Maintenance Issues” [Wed, April 19 (10:00 am – 10:45 am)]
Join professionals in Collection & Transfer, Landfill Gas & Biogas, Landfill Management, Waste Conversion & Energy Recovery, and Sustainable Materials Management at this enhanced and productive technical summit. Spend a few days diving deep into technical education, developing new business connections at networking events and joining game-changing conversations with experts in North America. Most importantly, you’ll leave SOAR with actionable, fact-based solutions to implement in your facilities.
Delivering practical solutions to the solid waste industry’s most difficult problems, SWANA SOAR showcases the promising technologies, ideas, and solutions that transform waste into a resource. As SWANA’s premier technical conference, SOAR connects experts and problem solvers in industry-changing conversations about your most complex challenges.
Meet SCS Engineers and SCS Field Services professionals at BOOTH 1704 at WasteExpo 2023, May 1-4, in New Orleans.
WasteExpo is the place to be! The conference program is your professional development opportunity of the year! The education and training that you’ll receive is guaranteed to sharpen your skills to help you do your job better. WasteExpo’s conference program is unparalleled. 2023 Conference Tracks include:
Operations, Fleet & Safety
Recycling & Landfill
Business Insights & Policy
Technology & Innovation
and more!
A Bird’s-Eye View: Using Satellites and Drones to Detect and Monitor Emissions, Bob Dick, Sr. VP (Moderator) and Chris Carver, GIS Developer and FAA licensed drone pilot.
Monday, May 1
8:00 AM – 9:15 AM
Room: 275, Session Number: MTECH1
Why is Multifamily Recycling So Hard? with Michelle Leonard, Sr. VP and National Expert on SMM
Monday, May 01, 2023
8:30 AM – 9:45 AM
Room: 279, Session Number: MRECYC1
PFAS: Price to Fix Adulterants will Soar with Nathan Hamm, VP and National Expert on Liquids Management
Monday, May 01, 2023
10:15 AM – 11:30 AM
Room: 279, Session Number: MRECYC2
Minimum Recycled Content: Challenges and Opportunities with Vita Quinn, National Expert on Solid Waste Finance and Rate Studies
Tuesday, May 02, 2023
8:00 AM – 9:15 AM, Room: 289, Sustainability Track
Seizing an Opportunity: The Rise of MRF Investments with Bob Gardner, Sr. VP Solid Waste
Tuesday, May 02, 2023
12:00 PM – 1:15 PM
Room: 279, Session Number: TRECYC3
There’s an App for That! with Chris Carver, GIS Developer and FAA licensed drone pilot.
Wednesday, May 03, 2023
10:45 AM – 12:00 PM
Room: 275, Session Number: WTECH2
Look for this image monthly for our next Preventing and Reducing CO2 issue!
Reducing CO2 is essential for our planet to thrive. At SCS Engineers, we’ve been helping all industries, cities, and states do just that for over 50 years. We focus solely on environmental solutions; in the industry, it’s called pure environmental, along with industry rankings that consistently rank our results in the top tiers.
Our culture is one of sharing. Our professional staff are involved in their communities and global industry associations where we speak, publish and share what works openly with you. Our newest blog series Preventing and Reducing CO2 publishes monthly, bringing you the latest papers, presentations, and case studies on reducing CO2 and targeting climate change.
We hope you find this collection of article, papers, videos, and opinion pieces helpful. The opinion pieces raise logical questions and help us create sustainable solutions rather than quick fixes that don’t stand up economically over time. We include a broader range of topics for landfills, as they diligently work toward reducing CO2 and using proven wastewater treatment options.
The Wise Way to Fight Inevitable Climate Change This opinion piece in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette by Joseph Duckett describes two major reasons why we need to rethink a country-by-country strategy to fight climate change …
Landfill PFAS Study: Concentrations After Leachate Treatment The objective of this study was to evaluate a cross-section of full-scale on-site landfill treatment systems to measure changes in PFAS concentrations. Leachate samples were collected before and after treatment from 15 facilities and were evaluated for 26 PFAS, including 11 perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids (PFCAs), 7 perfluoroalkyl sulfonic …
Design to Maximize Landfill Air Space – Your Landfill’s Golden Egg Free Webinar and QA Forum: Modern Landfill Design for Siting and Maximizing Air Space The trend to go larger necessitates more landfill design sophistication and master planning to recoup the growing capital investment upfront. During this month’s SCS Engineers webinar and open forum, our panel will discuss how extending the life of a landfill is a greener option …
EPA’s Brownfields Cleanup Grants $60M – Deadline November 22 Brownfields redevelopment and land recycling cleans up past activities that occurred on properties impacting local ecosystems. These properties help revitalize areas economically while making them safe again. When you’re looking at energy as well as environmental costs, remediation is often greener. The FY 2023 Brownfields Multipurpose, Assessment, Revolving Loan Fund, and Cleanup Grant Guidelines are now available (go to Open Solicitations). The application submission deadline is November 22, 2022.
SCS respects your privacy – you may share these resources individually using social media and email icons on each page. You may share all of the resources by sharing this blog. Look for our next Preventing andReducing CO2 blog in October! If you missed our August issue – no problem, click here.
Upcoming presentations at the Iowa Recycling and Solid Waste Management Conference on October 4:
SCS Engineers (SCS) was retained by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to assist in performing research, facilitating stakeholder and subcommittee meetings, and coordinating project meetings to explore and develop potential strategies that would help transition Iowa to a sustainable materials management (SMM) system approach. The firm was also retained to perform a waste characterization study at ten landfills across Iowa during the summer of 2022, focusing on how we can best use resources to their highest and best values.
SCS Engineers will be presenting on these topics during the welcoming events on Tuesday, October 4, starting at 8:00 am, following the Iowa DNR update. Christine Collier, P.E., will discuss work with a stakeholder group and four subcommittees to identify potential SMM strategies that focus on the four primary material categories: Construction and Demolition Debris; Organics and Fibers; Plastics; and Renewable Energy Equipment.
Hannah Sperfslage and Jeff Phillips will discuss the waste characterization study evaluating the composition of municipal solid waste (MSW) generated from residential, industrial, commercial, and institutional (ICI) sectors and the visual characterization of construction and demolition debris (C&D). The results will help the DNR and solid waste planning agencies measure progress in obtaining waste reduction and recycling goals. They will be the basis for implementing new programs and policies.
Free Webinar and QA Forum: Modern Landfill Design for Siting and Maximizing Air Space
The trend to go larger necessitates more landfill design sophistication and master planning to recoup the growing capital investment upfront. During this month’s SCS Engineers webinar and open forum, our panel will discuss landfill design, focusing on optimizing your site layout and maximizing air space – a landfill’s golden egg.
Live on Thursday, September 29, 2022
2:00 pm Eastern Time for 1 hour
This educational, non-commercial webinar with a Q&A forum throughout is free and open to all who want to learn more about landfill design. We recommend this month’s discussion for landfill owners/operators, solid waste planners, environmental engineers, municipalities, and environmental agency staff.
Certificates of Attendance are available for attendees who registered on Zoom and attended the live session.
PFAS landfill study by a collaboration of the schools in Florida and the EPA; supported by a technical advisory group.
The objective of this study was to evaluate a cross-section of full-scale on-site landfill treatment systems to measure changes in PFAS concentrations. Leachate samples were collected before and after treatment from 15 facilities and were evaluated for 26 PFAS, including 11 perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids (PFCAs), 7 perfluoroalkyl sulfonic acids (PFSAs), and 8 perfluoroalkyl acid precursors (PFAA-precursors). The transformation of precursors was evaluated by the total oxidizable precursor (TOP) assay. Results showed no obvious reductions in total measured PFAS (∑26PFAS) for on-site treatment systems including ponds, aeration tanks, powdered activated carbon (PAC), and sand filtration. Among evaluated on-site treatment systems, only systems fitted with reverse osmosis (RO) showed significant reductions (98-99 %) of ∑26PFAS in the permeate. Results from the TOP assay showed that untargeted PFAA-precursors converted into targeted short-chain PFCAs increasing ∑26PFAS in oxidized samples by 30 %, on average.
Overall, the results of this study confirm the efficacy of RO systems and suggest the presence of additional precursors beyond those measured in this study. SCS is part of the technical advisory group for this collaboration of the schools in Florida and the EPA. SCS’s Liquid Management Practice is helping the group with on-site work at landfills.
Chen Y, Zhang H, Liu Y, Bowden JA, Tolaymat TM, Townsend TG, Solo-Gabriele HM. Waste Manag. 2022 Sep 6;153:110-120. doi: 10.1016/j.wasman.2022.08.024. Online ahead of print. PMID: 36084369
The following universities with EPA are affiliated with the study:
Department of Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL.
Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences, College of Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL.
Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences, College of Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL; Center for Environmental and Human Toxicology & Department of Physiological Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL.
Center for Environmental Solutions and Emergency Response, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Cincinnati, OH.
Department of Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL.
EPA anticipates awarding a total of 73 Cleanup Grants for an estimated $60 million. Fund your Brownfields projects.
The FY 2023 Brownfields Multipurpose, Assessment, Revolving Loan Fund, and Cleanup Grant Guidelines are now available (go to Open Solicitations). The application submission deadline is November 22, 2022.
Cleanup Grants provide funding to carry out cleanup activities at brownfield sites owned by the applicant. An applicant may only submit ONE Cleanup Grant application in the FY23 competition cycle.
FUNDING/AWARDS: EPA anticipates awarding a total estimated 73 Cleanup Grants for an estimated total of $60 million
Up to $500,000 to clean up one brownfield site or to allocate up to $500,000 among multiple sites;
Between $500,001 and $1,000,000 to clean up one brownfield site or to allocate among multiple sites; or
Between $1,000,001 and $2,000,000 to clean up one brownfield site or to allocate among multiple sites.
Brownfields Assessment Grants
Assessment Grants provide funding for developing inventories of brownfield sites, prioritizing sites, conducting community involvement activities, conducting planning, conducting site assessments4, developing site-specific cleanup plans, and developing reuse plans related to brownfield sites. A portion of the Assessment Grant funding must be used to conduct site assessments. Assessment Grant funds may not be used to conduct cleanup activities.
Coalition Assessment Grants
FUNDING/AWARDS: EPA anticipates awarding an estimated 20 Assessment Coalition Grants for an estimated total of $20 million
Community-Wide Assessment Grants for States and Tribes
FUNDING/AWARDS: EPA anticipates awarding an estimated 17 Community-wide Assessment Grants for States and Tribes for an estimated total of $35 million
Community-Wide Assessment Grants
FUNDING/AWARDS: EPA anticipates awarding an estimated 61 Community-wide Assessment Grants for an estimated total of $30.5 million
Brownfields Multipurpose Grants
A Multipurpose Grant is appropriate for communities that have identified, through community engagement efforts, a discrete area (such as a neighborhood, a number of neighboring towns, a district, a corridor, a shared planning area, or a census tract) with one or more brownfield sites. Multipurpose Grants provide funding to carry out a range of eligible assessment and cleanup activities, including planning and additional community engagement activities. Applicants can apply for funding up to $800,000 per grant under this solicitation.
FUNDING/AWARDS: EPA anticipates awarding an estimated 17 Multipurpose Grants for an estimated $800,000 per grant
Brownfields Revolving Loan Fund Grants
Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) Grants provide funding to a grant recipient to capitalize an RLF program. RLF programs provide loans and subgrants to eligible entities to carry out cleanup activities at brownfield sites contaminated with hazardous substances4 and/or petroleum5. Site eligibility will be determined by EPA after grant award and prior to expending grant funds at any site. Sites where hazardous substances and petroleum contamination are distinguishable must meet eligibility requirements for both contaminants.
FUNDING/AWARDS: EPA anticipates awarding an estimated 10 RLF Grants for an estimated total of $10 million
SCS Engineers has a successful track record supporting communities interested in land recycling and obtaining EPA MARC Brownfields grants. Please visit our website for more information.
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Kelli Farmer: “From Drilling to Digesting: An Aerobic Digestion Feasibility Study” [Wed, April 19 (9:00 am – 9:45 am)]
Daniel Dietch (co-presenting with Kanika Greenlee, City of Atlanta, and Craig Wittig of The Recycling Partnership): “How Did Atlanta Do That: Improving Recycling Access, Participation, and Program Resiliency” [Wed, April 19 (10:00 am – 10:45 am)]
Nathan Hamm (co-presenting with Nathan Mayer of Solid Waste Authority of Palm Beach County and Manuel Hernandez (formerly of SCS) of Progressive Environmental Services): “Leachate Treatment and System Maintenance Issues” [Wed, April 19 (10:00 am – 10:45 am)]
A Bird’s-Eye View: Using Satellites and Drones to Detect and Monitor Emissions, Bob Dick, Sr. VP (Moderator) and Chris Carver, GIS Developer and FAA licensed drone pilot.
Why is Multifamily Recycling So Hard? with Michelle Leonard, Sr. VP and National Expert on SMM
PFAS: Price to Fix Adulterants will Soar with Nathan Hamm, VP and National Expert on Liquids Management
Minimum Recycled Content: Challenges and Opportunities with Vita Quinn, National Expert on Solid Waste Finance and Rate Studies
There’s an App for That! with Chris Carver, GIS Developer and FAA licensed drone pilot.
