Landfill Hydrogeological Risk Assessment

Landfill Hydrogeological Risk Assessment Diagram, click the image to enlarge*

Hydrogeological risk assessment of landfills examines the design and operation of a site and then uses accepted scientific formula to calculate how much leachate will leak out into the environment (or in some cases how much groundwater will seep in). The assessment then looks at how contaminants in the leaking leachate will be attenuated and diluted as they move away from the site.

All activities (including farming) will have some effect on the natural environment, so the skill is in understanding a site well (see Good Understanding of Sites) and then checking whether the effect will cause an impact on the use of water.

The image on the right suggests that this is an old, as designed, dilute and disperse landfill site. More recent designs limit leakage of leachate into the environment by collecting and treating the leachate.

Prior to leaving Entec UK Ltd, Nick prepared a regulatory update of the Environment Agency’s national guidance on hydrogeological risk assessment for landfills (see National Guidance).

Nick’s landfill related skills are also discussed under the landfill leachate management section of this website.

To read more about Nick’s landfill hydrogeological risk assessment experience, then click on the following:

* Image used with permission from the SNIFFER wfdvisual website.