The Sanitary Landfill

Prior to enactment of Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) (1976), what Americans had referred to as ‘landfills’ were typically not much more than open dumps (Figure 10.1). There was no requirement for a daily layer of soil, for example, which is important in deterring vectors and preventing other hazards or nuisance conditions. As a result, insect and rodent infestations were common at pre-RCRA facilities and there were frequent fires. These facilities were typically constructed without protective liners; therefore, contents readily leached into subsurface formations, including those which store groundwater. Many were sited at locations thought to be convenient, without regard to subsurface geology or groundwater features. There was no requirement for impermeable substrata below the landfill unit that could have prevented migration of liquids.