Study on operation and disposed wastes in hazardous waste landfill

Abstract

In Japan, industrial waste landfill is classified into three types and the one is hazardous waste landfill. This type of landfill accepts hazardous industrial waste (e.g. sludge or dust which exceeds the leaching criteria on hazardous substances) and isolates the waste from external environment by rigid structure with impervious thick concrete walls. It was reported that at present there are 24 sites in Japan according to a report by Ministry of the Environment. However, there are many unknowns, since few researches had been performed up to now. Thus, in this study, the objective was set to identify the current situation of these hazardous waste landfills, especially regarding the kinds of waste disposed of into such sites. Interview and questionnaire survey for companies which contracted their waste disposal to the hazardous waste landfill were conducted. As a result, the largest fraction of the waste was the refractory material used in thermal treatment plant of the solid waste, because it contains hexavalent chromium. Residue generated from recycling facilities of home electric appliance was also disposed of into the landfill.