Impact Assessment of the Solid Waste Landfill in the Municipality of

Centar Zupa
Katerina Donevska, Milorad Jovanovski, Antonie Efremov, Jovan Papic
Faculty of Civil Engineering
Skopje, Republic of Macedonia

Abstract

The paper deals with assessment of the most important environmental impact of the solid waste
landfill in municipality of Centar Zupa. These analyses are part of the complex Environment Impact
Assessment Study for the solid waste landfill. Description of the implemented methods for the impact
assessment is performed. Brief description of the landfill location and project are presented, too.
Identification of all possible impacts (both positive and negative) associated with each phase of the
project and the activities undertaken on environment have been done using matrix method. Also,
prediction in order to forecast the nature, magnitude, extends and duration of the main impacts has
been done. Taking into consideration the designed measures for elimination and mitigation the
negative impacts it can be concluded that there will be no negative impacts on environment. Also, the
authors propose more detailed analysis of the phase of determining the significance of the residual
impacts that cannot be eliminated and mitigated.

Keywords: solid waste landfill, environment impact assessment, erosion,

Introduction

The natural and cultural heritage of the river Radika basin is amazing. The Radika river basin is
specific eco-system. The flow of the river is in the canyon of which is some 40 km long and is surely
one of the most picturesque, as well being the steepest in Europe. In its cold and clear water lives the
famous river trout. In the valley of the river Radika a unique monastery St Jovan Bigorski is situated.
The specific natural and cultural environment has been disturbed by man activities. The economic
development in the region of the Radika river basin, and the changed way of living in the last decades
have contributed towards a more intensive use of natural resources as well as generating different
substances that are harmful to environment and human health. Due to the improper management and
disposal, the solid waste is considered to be the main polluter of the environment. Municipal solid
waste is one of basic polluters of the environment because it is not collected and disposed (the only
exception is the area of the former Municipality of Mavrovi Anovi). That is why the local and state
government have been working intensively on Radika River Valley Environmental Protection for a long
time. Until now, a numerous volumes of technical documentation dealing with the problem of solid
waste management and disposal in Radika River Valley have been prepared. At the beginning a
Preliminary design and a Study for impact assessment of communal infrastructure facilities to
environment in Radika river basin have been prepared. One of the most important issues to be
answered in this early phase of project preparation was the selection of the site for solid waste landfill.
According to all analyses from previous phases, location “Blokovi” in the Municipality of Centar Zupa
has been indicated and confirmed as a location for sold waster disposal. As the geological, hydro-
geological and geotechnical investigations on the landfill location were not prepared and included in
the mentioned Study for impact assessment of communal infrastructure facilities to environment in
Radika river basin, an Environment Impact Assessment Study for the solid waste landfill in the
municipality of Centar Zupa has been prepared. This study is based on geological, hydro-geological
and geotechnical investigations on situ on the landfill location and focuses on impact assessment,
evaluation and mitigation. Two companion papers presenting main topics of the Environment Impact
Assessment Study for the solid waste landfill in the municipality of Centar Zupa have been prepared
for the BALWOIS Conference. The first one titled Impact Assessment from the Solid Waste Landfill in
the Municipality of Centar Zupa presents the impact identification and evaluation and the second one
An Approach for Preventing the Negative Impact on the Soil and Water for the Area of Solid Waste
Landfill in Centar Zupa, the mitigation measures for soil and water protection. For the needs of the
Environment impact assessment procedure, apart from the impact on the environment, economic,
social and cultural aspects together with the development aspects and interests of the interested
beneficiaries in the area are analyzed in the Study.

Methods

It is well known that any intervention in the environment, even in its most favorable construction
variant, causes certain direct or indirect changes in certain parameters of the environment that in the
end due to a number of synergy actions could cause many negative impacts.
A detailed environmental screening in order to determine the vulnerability of the region by the planned
activities has been performed in the Study.
Usually impact analysis is consisted of three phases:
• identification- to specify the impacts associated with each phase of the project and the
activities undertaken,
• prediction- to forecast the nature, magnitude, extend and duration of the main impacts and
• evaluation- to determine the significance of the residual impacts that cannot be mitigated.
Impact identification and prediction are undertaken against an environmental baseline, often
delineated by selected indicators (air, water, noise, ecological sensitivity, biodiversity).
Over time a number of EIA methodologies and tools have been developed for use in impact
identification. But in practice, relatively simple methodologies and tools are applied to impact
identification as compared to more complex, data demanding methods which may be used in impact
prediction. Experience indicates that these simple methods are proven for undertaking of systematic
approach to impact identification. The most common methods used for impact identification are:
• check lists
• matrices
• networks
• overlays and Geographic Information System and
• expert systems.
A method of matrices has been used in impact identification phase of the Environment Impact
Assessment Study for the solid waste landfill in the municipality of Centar Zupa.
An assessment is provided on the acceptability of the project and actions to be undertaken at the
proposed location of the landfill, as well as an assessment of the propositions on improving the
concept solutions of the technology and the process technique of the facilities.
The forecast and the assessment of the expected impacts on the environment refer to the more
important emissions of harmful substances and other impacts on the environment during construction,
exploitation and after closing the landfill.

Description of the landfill location

The sanitary landfill for the municipalities of Rostuse and Mavrovo (former municipality), and Centar
Zupa will be built on the location "Blokovi", about 1000 m on the west of the nearest road access - the
asphalt road of the municipality Centar Zupa. The landfill will be located in a slope depression at an
area of 1.5 ha. The investigated area for solid waste landfill is a part of the area of the Debar basin.
Debar basin from geotectonic point of view, is part of geotectonic unit of first order in Macedonia. More
data about geotectonic, geological and hydro geological characteristics of the terrain are presented in
the companion paper. In general it can be stated that silty clays with gravel pieces are dominant to the
depth of about 19 to 22 meters bellow the surface. Bellow them to the depth of about 30 m there are
claylike silts. The hydro geological conditions of the media are in a correlation with a lithological
composition. During the testing of the coefficient of permeability (K), a low to very low permeability of
the media has been calculated. Namely, the results indicates that values of K are from K=n*10-9.m/s,
which is certainly influence of the finer silty and claylike fraction. According to the graduation of the
Commission of Engineering geological mapping of the International Association of Engineering
Geology 1979, this is in the classes of impermeable to practically impermeable masses.
From the aspect of ground water conditions, the situation for whole zone is very favorable, because,
the ground water level is not defined in boreholes in several phases of measurements during
investigations. Having in mind the permeability of the media, permanent ground water cannot be
formed, so the saturation of the thin surface zone can be a result only of rainfalls.
With analyses of surface geological processes, it is figured out that active surface processes are
typical for investigated area only along several present ravines. Besides lining erosion, on some
places surface erosion (denudation) is visible in some areas. Beside this, some active movements
expressed as landslides or rock falls are not present.
According to possible seismic activity during exploitation, this area is with expected seismic intensity of
VIII degree after MCS scale for return period of 100 years.
At the location, there are no wells, springs and taps, neither place for drawing surface waters. There
are no possibilities of avalanche occurrences near the landfill site or presence of rock falls.

Figure 1. Location of the solid waste landfill Centar Zupa

According to the data received by Administration of Hydro-Meteorological Works of Republic of

Macedonia the annual average amount of precipitations for period 1961-2004 (with breaks) amounts
893.4 mm, average annual evaporation value for period 1961 to 1990 is estimated on 387 mm, south
winds are most predominated in the Debar valley and average annual air temperature is 11,5 0C.
Besides the advantages of the selected location of the landfill (favorable opportunity for rational
connection with the existing traffic and other infrastructure; lowly populated area and physical
separation of the location; secure distance of the landfill site from the nearest villages, favorable
terrain configuration of the landfill from aspect of rational and cheap preparation of the landfill body;
favorable hydro geological terrain characteristics which do not allow pollution of the ground waters by
leachate; absence of surface water currents that could pollute the ground waters, endanger stability of
the formed landfill body; groundwater area positioned at large depths, the location is rich in clay which
enables meeting of the own needs for daily cover material and for final cover, minimal possibilities for
infiltrating pollutants in the ground due to the low coefficient of permeability of the soils; dominance of
winds from south direction which disable unfavorable landfill impact on the closest rural settlements
and city of Debar) the location has the following weaknesses:
ƒ It is in a seismic area;
ƒ It is close to the Debar Lake and
ƒ There are possibilities for degradation of an area possessing high landscape values.

Project description
Dimensioning of the capacity of the landfill is based on prognosis for amounts of solid waste.
Appropriate efficiency of collecting waste is 95 %, and increase of amount of solid waste is annually
0,5. For exploitation period of 25 years there should be place for 137.000 tons solid waste, or volume
about 195.000 m3, with density of 700 кg/m3 or in total about 230.000 m3 taking into consideration daily
cover material. The maximum height of landfill body should be 15 m, and slopes stability of landfill
body should be safe, so that’s why 4 layers are in excavated part of landfill body of 10 m (each with
height of 2.5 m), and there are 6 layers above the ground with 15 m height.
The landfill is consisted of a part for reception/dismissal and the landfill's body.
The terrain on the selected location is very favorable for landfill body forming. It is necessary to remove
and nearby store the excavated material, because part of it will be using for daily covers and for final
cover.
The design of the landfill has been done according to the regulations of the European Union
concerning the construction of municipal waste sanitary landfills. The system will be composed of two
separate segments, i.e. synthetic foundation protective layer and drainage layer. The foundation
protective layer of landfill body (geosynthetic foundation) will be placed over natural geological
foundation. This layer will be from PEHD geo-membrane. The drainage layer should be formed of
gravels.
Collecting and treatment of the leachate is planned to be done by independent hydraulic systems that
will have to be implemented in two phases, both performed with protective geosynthetic foundation
layer and a drainage leachate system. The leachate from the drainage pipe will be collected and
continuously transported in two reception pools. After reaching the maximal level of leachate in the
reception pools, a multi-degree pump for polluted aggressive media will be activated automatically
because of periodically over floating in pool for evaporation, from where the leachate will be directed for
splashing over landfill body. In periods of intensive rainy days, leachate will be floated in cistern and
transported to the nearest future wastewater treatment plant.
A system for collecting and evacuation of the landfill gas has been designed.
A systems for collecting atmospherical waters has been designed too. Terrain configuration (no
catchment area that gravitates towards the landfill) for the landfill location practically annuls the need
for construction of separate system for surface waters collection. Part of surface runoff will be
collected with side road channels.

Impact Assessment

The impact assessment has been performed for the construction and exploitation phase of the landfill.

During the construction phase:

Air pollution. The air pollution is generated by the construction machinery and the temporary traffic
infrastructure, when great amount of dust is generated. This pollution is not going to cause some
significant impacts considering the fact that it is of temporary character and that the location of the
landfill is far away from settlements. It has been stated that these impacts are not going to cause
major consequences on the environment.
Pollution with solid and liquid waste. The pollution can be monitored from physical, chemical and
biological aspect. Physical pollution is manifested by the presence of solid particles from soil remains,
dust deposited by rain and transformed into mud. Chemical pollution is mostly manifested when
construction machinery defect occurs, such as oil leak or other kind of liquid, when a certain measures
have to be taken. Biological pollution is originated from the disintegration of organic waste substances.
Noise and vibrations. Noise and vibrations will appear while using heavy mechanization, during the
construction of the plant. However, they will not have any substantial influence on the environment
and workers. The noise that originates from the trucks and other heavy vehicles and mechanization
during the construction becomes neglect able at distance of 100 m from each side of the route of
movement and working, so that it should not be a subject of separate observation from aspect of
negative impact.
Social effects. The construction of the landfill is not expected to contribute to appearance of certain
negative social effects. On the contrary, the construction of the landfill is expected to contribute in
generating more positive social and other effects because of the organized collecting and taking care
of municipal waste and improving the quality of life.
Impact of objects on the vegetation – forests. The construction of the landfill will not have any kind of
impact to the nearby forest. On the contrary the forest with its functions will contribute in decreasing of
negative side effects that will eventually appear in landfill construction phase.

During the phase of exploitation:

By transformation of one natural ambient into location for disposing municipal waste, the space
obtains new functional characteristics. The contact surface between the body of the landfill and the
morphologically formed nature structures represents a zone with high risk for environmental pollution.
Solid waste deposites in landfills decompose by a combination of chemical, physical and biological
processes. The decomposition produces solid, liquid, and gaseous byproducts. All of them are of
concern in the overall management of the landfill.
As a result of the combination of the previous mentioned processes, the landfill is a form of a
biochemical reactor. The result is that variabilities in such features as moisture, refuse age and
composition in various locations within the refuse are of great importance for the degree at which the
refuse decomposes and the byproducts are produced. According to this, the knowledge of the
moisture content, leachate character and migration of the gas within the refuse are essential for
understanding the current status of the process of decomposition. Nevertheless, all byproducts (Figure
2.) of solid waste decomposition have negative impact on environment no matter the status and rate of
the process of the decomposition.
Moisture addition

Solid waste

Heat
Decomposed
solid waste New biomass Generated Contaminants
gases into solution
(leachate)

Figure 2 Byproducts of solid waste decomposition

The leachate, is a most toxic byproduct of a solid waste decomposition. The chemicals within the
leachate vary over time depending on the physical, chemical and biological activities occurring within
the landfill. The leachate consists of solid metals, phenols, pesticides and other harmful substances.
Not-rarely, bacteria causing infection diseases can occur in the leachate. The pH value of the leachate
vary between 6 and 8, while the values for BOD5 can reach a value of 10000 mg/l and COD a value of
20000 mg/l in young leachate (Mc Bean et all.). The leacheate may pollute the groundwater, surface
water and soil. The designers proposed a system for collection and transportation of the leachate from
the landfill.
The impact of generated leachate. The scenario for the future exploitation of the landfill, indicates that
in case of realizing the suggested work concept, the leachate generation will be limited on one to two
tanks per 24 hours (i.e. maximal volume in most critical conditions of 14,5 m3/24h). It is proposed the
leachate to be transported to treatment to the nearest wastewater treatment plant.
The gas produced in the optimal conditions for generating contains approx. 55% methane. The
methane can be suffocating for people and vegetation when infiltrating in the soil. Also, the methane is
a dangerous gas because it may initiate explosions. The methane is contributing to the climate
changes. Other important components of the landfill gas are carbon dioxide, nitrogen, sulfur-hydrogen,
ammonia, and mercaptances (sulfur-carbohydrates). The sulfur hydrogen and ammonia are also
dangerous for the people. Intensity of gas generation is various during period of exploitation and that
generation is going to last 15 years after closing the landfill. Elimination of negative impact of landfill
gas on environment will be realized with special system for collection, transportation and combustion
of the gas.
The ecological problems of harmful impacts from the surface of the landfill body are result of air
pollution of the surrounding by spreading particles of the waste material by wind, uncontrolled
releasing of gas from the landfill body, as well as incidental self-combustion of the waste. Other
harmful effects of these appearances are the possibilities of inhaling the floating particles of toxic
heavy metals (lead, cadmium, mercury and others), microbiological pollution, unpleasant smell, as well
as spreading of fire around the landfill.
Differentiated "self-compacting" is also a dangerous because it initiates ruptures and leakage in the
body of disposed waste, damaging of the landfill layer system and allowing uncontrolled release of
gases with all associated dangers.
Surface erosion. The opportunity for erosion progression was analysed for cases of landfill body with
inclination 1:3, as well as for deep ravines in access road area. The analyses of the soil loss were
performed and are presented in the companion paper An Approach for Preventing the Negative
Impact on the Soil and Water for the Area of Solid Waste Landfill in Centar Zupa.
Noise impact. The noise that will appear as a result of exploitation of the landfill mechanization will be
heard up to distance of 400 to 500 m. Having in mind that the closest settlements are located at
distance at least three times bigger, it can be concluded that the noise will have no negative impact on
the population. The noise affecting the workers that will work on the landfill will be solved by
implementing ordinary measures for protection at work.
Impact on settlements and surrounding landscape. In the allocated region for building sanitary landfill
for deposing solid waste, at distance round 8 km, in four villages live 3200 people. Because of this, all
objects on the landfill should be formed dispositional, architectonical and horticultural, so that they
could fit adequate in the ambient, but also to form protection zones around them so they could protect
residential zones in villages from noise, the people from health risks, and the usable fertile land and
agricultural products from pollution.
Impact on flora and fauna. The emitted byproducts during the exploitation of the landfill will not have
negative impact on surrounding forest and other vegetation. On the contrary, surrounding forest
vegetation can have greater influence on improving the environment. This can be manifested through
the function of the forest oxygen production, the circulation of the oxygen and the CO2 and the round
movement of the bio-elements, through the process of photosynthesis and forest breathing,
moisturizing of the atmosphere and helping in its preservation in the soil and atmosphere, absorbing
and fixing of CO2, absorbing of the dust in the air, erosion prevention, regulation of the amount and
quality of the waters modifying the microclimate improving of people's health and the landscape
architecture.
Assessment of solid waste landfill “Blokovi” impact on environment in presented in Table 1.
Table 1. Assessment of solid waste landfill “Blokovi” impact on environment
Stacking of other Closing of the
Legend Preparation of the location and construction Exploitation and maintenance
waste landfill

Installation of

Maintenance
x Ignorable or no effect.

Flattening of

Operation of
access road

construction
Preparation

the location

Landfill gas
Drilling and

Stacking of

Stacking of
Stacking of
assistance

monitoring
machinery

machinery

recyclable
o Potential negative effect

cultivation
accidents

emission

emission
transport

Leakage,

Stacking

from the
Material

material
process

industry

stations
+ Potential positive effect

digging
Landfill

landfill

purifier
Filtrate

waste
* Potential positive and negative effect

mud
stop

and
Re-
the
Effect on:

of
Ground waters Considering that to the investigation depths, ground waters are not discovered, there is no impact on this parameter
Surface waters Draining characteristics x x x + x x x x o o x x x x x +
Flow variations x + x * x x x x x x x x x x + +
Change of the water quality x x x * o x o x o x o o o x + +
Soil Soil structure x * x x x x x x x x x x x x + x
Land usage compatibility x + x * x x x x x x x x o x + +
Settlements and stability o o x x x x x x x x x x o x + x
Geologic resources x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
Atmosphere Air characteristics o x x o * o x o x o o o x x x +
Wind x x x x x x x x x x o x x x + x
Micro and macro climate changes x x x x x x x o x x x x x x + +
Ground world Flora o x x o x o o o x o o x o x + +
Fauna x x x o x x o x x o o o o x + +
Water world Flora x x x x x x o x o x o x o x + +
Fauna x x x x o x o x o x o x o x + +
Human Noise and vibrations o o o o o o x x x o + x x x x x
Litter, debris, dust o o o o o o o x x o o o x x + +
Smell x x x x x o o o o x o x x x + +
Landscape changes o * x o x x x x x x o o x + + +
New landscape characteristics o * x * x x x x x x o x x x + x
Health o o o o o o o o o o o x o x + +
Safety o o o o o o o o o o o o o x + +
Social benefits x x x + x x x * x x o x x * + +
Work positions + + + + + + x x x + o x x x + +
Road capacity x x x x x o x x x x x x x x x +
Transport Road safety * x x x x o o x x x x x x x x x
Road infrastructure + x x + x o x x x x x x x x x x
Cultural inheritance Archeological findings x x x x x o x x x x x x x x x x
Historical monuments x x x x x o x x x x x x x x x x
Other facilities x x x x x o x x x x o x x x + +

Source: Environment Impact Assessment Study for the solid waste landfill in the municipality of Centar Zupa
Conclusions
The performed impact assessment defined most important environmental impact from the solid waste
landfill in municipality of Centar Zupa. Identification of all possible impacts (both positive and negative)
associated with each phase of the project and the activities undertaken on environment have been
done using matrix method. Also, prediction in order to forecast the nature, magnitude, extend and
duration of the main impacts has been done. Taking into consideration the designed measures for
elimination and mitigation the negative impacts it can be concluded that there will be no negative
impacts on environment. The authors propose more detailed analysis of the phase of evaluation, the
phase of determining the significance of the residual impacts that cannot be mitigated.

References

Donevska, K., Efremov, A., Jovanovski, M., 2005: A project for solid waste landfill in a municipality
Centar Zupa, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Skopje
Efremov, A., Jovanovski, M., Donevska, K., 2005: Environmental Impact Assessment study for solid
waste landfill in a municipality Centar Zupa, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Skopje
Glasson, Thereviel, Chadviwick, 2005, Introduction to EIA, The Natural and Build Environment Series
Mc Bean, E., Rovers, F., Farquar, G., 1995: Solid Waste Engineering and Design, Prentice Hall,
New Jersey