Geography
(i) What is a sanitary landfill?
(ii) How is waste disposed of in a sanitary landfill?
Answer
(i) Sanitary landfill is a way of disposing refuse on land without creating nuisances or hazards to public health and safety. The waste disposal is carried out with minimal environmental damage and in areas already spoiled or in need of restoration.
(ii) In sanitary landfill, the waste undergoes the following five phases for safe disposal-
- In the first phase of operation, aerobic bacteria depletes the available oxygen and causes the temperature to rise.
- In the second phase, anaerobic conditions get established and lead to the evolution of hydrogen and carbon dioxide.
- Phase three establishes population of bacteria and the beginning of methanogenic activity, i.e., production of methane from the decomposition of organic matter.
- In the fourth phase, the methanogenic activity becomes stabilised.
- The fifth phase depletes the organic matter, and the system returns to aerobic state.
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